New Books in Critical Theory Nicholas Gamso, "Art After Liberalism" (Columbia UP, 2022)
Nov 29, 2025
Nicholas Gamso, a writer and academic focusing on visual culture and performance, dives into the intersections of art and the current crisis of liberalism. He explores how liberal frameworks have failed society and the role art plays in envisioning alternative futures. Gamso discusses significant works like Kara Walker's and Manaf Halbouni's installations, critiques the legitimacy of institutions, and examines the political dimensions of aesthetics and pleasure. He advocates for a shift towards relational art practices that engage public spaces and counterpublics.
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Art That Aggravates Public Myths
- Kara Walker's Domino Sugar installation dramatized how liberal gestures can expose racial capitalism and gentrification rather than resolve them.
- The piece showed art can aggravate rather than soothe public expectations of cross-class, cross-race encounters.
Public Objects Conduct Politics
- Manaf Halbouni's Monument turned urban infrastructure into a political meeting point that conducted social movements in Dresden.
- The work's meaning shifted when moved to institutional settings like Berlin or Amsterdam, losing its disruptive agency.
Institutions Mirror Political Legitimacy
- Museums and universities require popular legitimacy similar to political institutions and thus reproduce liberal publicness.
- Making donor links visible exposes how cultural institutions privatize culture and align with other state agencies.
