Consensus Aesthetics

The Political Economy of Agreement in Contemporary Art

Authors

  • Cem A. Freeze Magazine

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.47456/col.v16i27.53030

Keywords:

contemporary art; aesthetics of consensus; art and politics

Abstract

Cem A. diagnoses the current institutional climate of soft moral alignment, where art gestures toward politics without the difficulty of being political, and proposes strategic empathy as a potential path out.

Author Biography

  • Cem A., Freeze Magazine

    Cem A. is an artist with a background in anthropology. He is known for running the art meme page @freeze_magazine, as well as his site-specific performances and installations. His work explores themes such as virality, dialogue and performativity, often through collaborative projects.

References

AIMA, Rahel. The rise of vaporwave curating. Frieze, 31 July 2025. Disponível em: https://www.frieze.com/article/rise-vaporwave-curating. Acesso em: 25 jun. 2026.

BISHOP, Claire. Antagonism and relational aesthetics. October, v. 110, p. 51-79, 2004.

CARRINGTON, Damian. Arctic stronghold of world’s seeds flooded after permafrost melts. Guardian, 19 May 2017. Disponível em: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/may/19/arctic-stronghold-of-worlds-seeds-flooded-after-permafrost-melts. Acesso em: 25 jun. 2026.

CHOMSKY, Noam; HERMAN, Edward S. Manufacturing consent: the political economy of the mass media. [S.l.]: [s.n.], 1988.

FRANKEL, Eddy. Have pain, trauma and politics silenced art criticism? Art Review, July 2025. Disponível em: https://artreview.com/have-pain-trauma-and-politics-silenced-art-criticism-opinion-eddy-frankel/. Acesso em: 25 jun. 2026.

HALL, Stuart. The West and the rest: discourse and power. In: MORELY, David (org.). Essential essays, volume 2: identity and diaspora. Durham: Duke University Press, 2018.

McLAUGHLIN, Rosanna. Against morality. London: Perfect Bound, 2025.

ROBINSON, Walter. Flipping and the rise of zombie formalism. Artspace, April 2014. Disponível em: https://www.artspace.com/magazine/contributors/see_here/the_rise_of_zombie_formalism-52184. Acesso em: 25 jun. 2026.

ROSE, Todd. When U.S. Airforce discovered the flaw of averages. Toronto Star, 16 Jan. 2016. Disponível em: https://www.thestar.com/news/insight/when-u-s-air-force-discovered-the-flaw-of-averages/article_e3231734-e5da-5bf5-9496-a34e52d60bd9.html. Acesso em: 25 jun. 2026.

RULE, Alix; LEVINE, David. International Art English. Triple Canopy, n. 16, July 2012. Disponível em: https://canopycanopycanopy.com/contents/international_art_english. Acesso em: 25 jun. 2026.

SHAKED, Nizan. Museums and wealth: the politics of contemporary art. London: Bloomsbury Academic, 2023.

TÁÍWÒ, Olúfẹ́mi O. Elite capture: how the powerful took over identity politics (and everything else). London: Pluto Press, 2022.

Capa da edição 27 com logo da revista em branco na parte de cima e referência completa em letras pequenas brancas logo abaixo do logo. A imagem de fundo, que toma toda a capa, mostra duas mãos de uma senhora indígena amassando folhas bem verdes em uma tigela de água. A fotografia é muito aproximada e mostra detalhes da pele. Na parte inferior da capa, os créditos da imagem para Paola Tamara Videa Aramayo.

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Published

2026-06-26

Issue

Vol. 16 No. 27 (2026)

Section

Translations

License

Copyright (c) 2026 Cem A.

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

The authors of works submitted to Revista do Colóquio authorize their publication in physical and electronic media, solely for academic purposes, and may be reproduced as long as the source is cited. They attest to their originality, authorship and originality. The authors retain full copyright and publication rights, without restrictions.

How to Cite

CEM A. Consensus Aesthetics: The Political Economy of Agreement in Contemporary Art. Revista do Colóquio, v. 16, n. 27, p. 235–251, 26 Jun.2026.