Date Published: 22.06.2026
Amid intense instability in the art world – where protests, boycotts, and resignations have become commonplace – leading artists, curators, critics and scholars came together to examine one of the most urgent political forces of our time: populism.
Co-organisers, Dr Sofia Gotti and Professor Marko Ilić, at 'Art and Populism'.
Art and Populism was a two-day event co-organised by Professor Marko Ilić, our Fellow and Tutor in History of Art, and Dr Sofia Gotti, Lecturer in Curating at the Courtauld Institute. The event marked the culmination of years of collaboration and dialogue, as well as the continuation of a panel Prof Ilić and Dr Gotti first organised at the Association for Art History conference in 2022 on the same theme. Participants across both days included TJ Demos, Sarah James, Dean Kissick, Angela Dimitrakaki, Clive Nwonka, Lars Bang Larsen, Luce deLire, Anthony Gardner, Claire Fontaine, Ana Dević (WHW), and the Otolith Group.
Prof Ilić said:
"A symposium featuring leading thinkers, artists, curators and critics was held at Wadham College on 11 June, followed by a closed workshop and a public evening panel at the Courtauld Institute on the following day. Through a series of challenging, lively, and enlightening presentations and discussions, participants explored the multiple ways in which art not only reflects populism but also actively participates in shaping its forms, meanings, and futures.
Across both days, participants brought a wide range of perspectives and approaches into dialogue, opening up fresh pathways for research and debate. The event has left us energised to pursue these questions further, and the conversations it ignited will continue to shape the development of this project in the months and years ahead.
We are grateful to our sponsors, the John Fell Oxford University Press Research Fund, the Oxford University Centre for Visual Studies, the Courtauld Institute, and of course, Wadham, for making this event possible."
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