A compelling analysis of the relationships between fascism, neoliberalism, art and popular culture over the last century, and their contemporary manifestations.
A compelling analysis of the relationships between fascism, neoliberalism, art and popular culture over the last century, and their contemporary manifestations.
Art & politics, Economic history, Fascism & totalitarianism
Who makes the Fash is a compelling analysis of the relationships between art and fascism. Originating from the desire of conceptualising an antifascist artistic practice, this book investigates fascism in Italy and its relationships with futurism and neoliberalism.
When seen in a historical context, the aesthetic appeal of the “new”, glamorous fascism is unmasked as a media-sponsored strategy of smoke and mirrors, functional to the preservation of a racist and patriarchal capitalism disguised as anti-systemic and innovative; from CasaPound, to the 5 Star Movement in Italy, to Elon Musk (hopefully soon in space).
What role can the arts have in this scenario? The assumption that this field is a stronghold of the left can not be held true anymore: if as artists we want to counter the making of fascist hegemony, we must embrace a responsibility that goes beyond our practice. This book offers an accessible historical overview, political analysis and a passionate call to radicalise the politics and practices of arts and culture around an outspokenly antifascist praxis.
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From Breitbart to the New York Times to Jacobin, the consensus on the international resurgence of the far-right is that it is a cultural movement first, and a political movement second. Here is the first close-up English-language case study of another 'Italian laboratory' than the one we have been shown by the post-Operaist discourse of the recent past: how the cultural politics of Fascism unfolded from the Futurist and Mussolini all the way up to CasaPound and Salvini. Who Makes the Fash is a brilliantly executed genealogy of the Italian far-right from the perspective of cultural struggle, but it goes further, making a case for the importance of partisan activity for artists and cultural workers, lest the tired avowals of liberal subjectivity lead us directly to the gardens of 'CasaWeiwei'. ~ Marina Vishmidt, Goldsmith University, London
“Can art kill fascists?” “Why art of all things?” Two timely questions to be asked to anybody involved in art production and art education with a claim to relevance. Luca Carboni in his incisive book, Who makes the Fash poses them in the context of a carefully constructed case-study called “Italy”, and underpins them by linking local history and actuality to the present hegemony worldwide. Carboni offers a much-needed antidote to the spectacularization of new fascisms by the neo-liberal media. By doing this he intricately lays bare one of the most painful truths of our time: fascism and neoliberalism are not in opposition, but can function perfectly well side by side. Art can and must confront this uncomfortable reality by firmly taking an anti-fascist stance without ever giving up on the notion of complexity (however tempting). ~ Gabriëlle Schleijpen, artistic director, Head of Program DAI Art Praxis, Arnhem
