Thirty years after his Considérations sur l’état des beaux-arts (Gallimard 1983), Jean Clair gives us a disenchanted essay in which he first rebelled against the now established domination of the law of the market in the artistic sphere, making collections “inalienable” potential financial resources. Transformed into values of exchange, the works relocated, traveling, deprived of identity and destination, participate in an uprooting of artistic creation by becoming foreign to the spectator.
Moreover, Jean Clair bears a radical charge against contemporary art in an era that for him has become “the time of disgust”, already illustrated in his book De Immundo, (Paris, Galilée, 2004). Famous names appear there marked with the seal of imposture, some recurrently, like Jeff Koons, others more discreetly – Lucio Fontana, Orlan, Beuys -, others finally less expected – Louise Bourgeois. No doubt one leaves this walk somewhat desperate through today’s art. Beauty – says Jean Clair- has become the innominata of thought”, the one whose name must never be pronounced, under penalty of banishment. Yet remain in the century new cursed artists who tirelessly continue to create magnificent works. Jean Clair dedicates his book to these “sacrificed” abandoned to “the indifference of the powers”. It’s our turn to discover them.
Jean Clair, L’Hiver de la culture, Flammarion, 2011