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May 12, 2026

Contemporary Art: Progressive or pointless?

S2 E17 135 MINS

How do we define great art in the 21st century?

Some critics argue that contemporary art has lost touch with the universal principles and artistic traditions that define its greatness. Others see its break with tradition as liberating, a move toward more inclusion, experimentation and personal and political expression.

This conversation is an exploration of what makes great art, particularly in this century. Is it defined by adherence to tradition, or disruption and reinvention? Is artistic beauty understood across time and culture, or does each generation need to redefine it? And with the AI era upon us, what even constitutes art in the first place?

Participants

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Molly Crabapple

Artist, writer and journalist

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Wafaa Bilal

Artist; professor, Tisch School at New York University

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Samar Younes

Theorist and creator of Quantum Craft™

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Fen de Villiers

Fine art sculptor

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Nadir Nahdi

Moderator, Doha Debates

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