The essence of art under threat from the quest for consensus

The town of Luxemburg, along with Sibiu in Romania, is this year's EU capital of culture. The exhibitions organised to mark this occasion have disappointed Luc Caregari. "Take, for example, 'All We Need', in Belval's disaffected metal works. It is basically just a slightly megalomaniac illustration of somewhat tacky third world theories. It is also a most pertinent illustration of the mind-set of this cultural year's creators that aims to moralise the public while distracting it, not offending it and maintaining consensus. ... This exhibition is frustrating for anyone who expected any revelations. But let's face it: no one ever goes to an exhibition to be unsettled, though that is precisely what art should do. ... Those who direct our cultural institutions all belong to a certain generation - 1968 - and are mainly looking for public consensus. They say yes to something informative, but no to anything that might shock the public, the minister and above all the sponsors."

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