New Literalism Comes for Museums

Museums are increasingly embracing "New Literalism"—relying on oversimplified, unambiguous artworks and exhibitions that avoid challenging viewers or inviting interpretation—mirroring a trend already identified in contemporary cinema. This shift stems from institutional risk-aversion, as museums avoid controversial positions to protect funding and donors, instead favoring recognizable, surface-level works by artists like KAWS or reductive reinterpretations of canonical figures like Picasso. The result undermines art's traditional function of developing media literacy and helping audiences navigate ambiguity.