Power and the Margins: Social Critique and Artistic Intervention in the Works of Santiago Sierra

Abstract

Against the backdrop of accelerating globalization and neoliberalism, contemporary artists have become increasingly attentive to the contradictory relationship between power structures and marginalized social groups. This article focuses on the socially interventionist works of the Spanish artist Santiago Sierra, examining how he reveals the exploitative mechanisms of contemporary capitalism through labor exchange, institutional exposure, and body politics. The study aims to analyze the artistic logic of ‘labor–power–body’ embedded in Sierra’s works and to discuss the ethical controversies and social reflections they provoke. The methodology primarily includes literature review and case analysis, systemically sorting through the structures, contexts, and audience experiences of Sierra’s representative works in order to understand the social logic underlying his artistic strategies. The study finds that Sierra’s works present the operations of social power in a stark and direct manner, rendering suppressed labor relations visible while prompting viewers to recognize their own complicity within power systems. This article argues that Sierra’s practice not only exposes inequalities within social structures but also unveils the power mechanisms operating inside the art institution itself, offering an important perspective for understanding the social-critical function of contemporary art.