The Great Fair: A Reaction to Anything Goes in Contemporary Art

One of the central issues in *The Great Fair*, an essay on contemporary art, is the subordination of the artist to the art system. We are provoked to question whether so-called conceptual art (installations, performances, etc.) is, in fact, art. This is perhaps the most acute and painful angle to be investigated in this book. Rather than a philosophical or aesthetic reflection, this essay traces the ethical relationships and the actions of the contemporary artist in the real world. Luciano also discusses the role of all the actors involved in this system: artist, critic, curator, dealer, auction house, cultural journals, universities, museums, specialized magazines, collectors. He thus invites us to a healthy debate, which in Brazil is not always viewed favorably.