The Italian textual conceptualist and urban/suburban public space instigator ELFO has lodged his complaint on a wall against the misinformation that forms our perceptions. The humorous one-off screed caught our attention so we asked him about this low-fi textwork that seems decidedly Duchampian, with a nod to Magritte’s pipe.

BSA: Duchamp challenged conceptions of the art world with his “readymade” pieces and many a critic called him a fake. Your commentary references the “fake news” meme favored by the right wing news and politicians. How did you make the connection?

ELFO: Currently my work is returning to this message. I want to speak of the world and the history of art in ironic and contemporary way using contemporary terms. I chose Duchamp because his artwork changed the world of art.  Duchamp is perfect because he played with fake identity and the critic system rendered him as a fake. He changed the rules of art, for me and many artists.

BSA: What role should art play in this world of “fake news”?

ELFO: In this world of fake news, art probably is a big fake – if it does not reflect society as a mirror.

BSA:  Do you think art should always reflect our society like a mirror?

ELFO: The problem is not fake news in this world – it’s the human  brain. Art must speak about serious issues like pollution for example. This is the next subject I’ll address since I have been looking at it for a long time.

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