Art vs. Fetishism Or the Utility of Idolatry

“Fetishism” has different meanings depending on the context in which it is used, but in essence it comes down to the devotion to, and excessive idolatry and veneration of material objects. Fetishism is highly utilized as a mechanism of manipulation in politics, ideology, history, fashion, commerce: we rely on a stone for luck; a person could become more sexually aroused with a garment than with another person, we chase after fashion and jewels based on the fetish of the brand or of the material, we acquire art based on the signature of the artist, etc. In this context, the exhibition tackles the relationship between art and fetishism and analyses how the latter is used as a tool in the art world, sometimes to denounce arbitrary values, sometimes to justify them.