Intentism’s Origins

2004 – Vittorio Pelosi and several artists begin to have epistemological concerns about art theory and its fruit. Vittorio was disillusioned by the rise in artists openly stating that their work meant ‘whatever each viewer thinks it means.’ There was the belief that this desire not to put your story, personality and intentions into a work often left the finished piece as weak and ‘anemic.’

2005 – Art critic Brian Sewell had taken an interest in Vittorio’s work from a technical sense from before Vittorio attended university. Vittorio had been invited to Sewell’s residence to show his work and Sewell had attended Vittorio’s solo exhibiton in Croydon in 2000. In 2005 Vittorio and Sewell began to discuss in telephone conversations their concerns with certain areas of postmodern philosophy and how it affects the arts. In an Evening Standard article that Sewell sent to Vittorio, Sewell had written that conversations with Vittorio had clarified his thinking on the arts and postmodernism.

2006– Vittorio started the painting The School of Postmodernism as a commentary on Postmodern thinkers and the arts.

2007– Having read the seminal work on intention and the visual arts, Vittorio contacted author Professor Paisley Livingston. This was the beginning of a very fruitful relationship. Livingston has attended Intentism debates, wrote the Preface for The Search for Intentist Art and has been interviewed a number of times.

Livingston is on the left, Vittorio is in the middle and Stephen Carter (Head of Third Year Painting at Central Saint Martins) at the debate on Intentism at Chelsea Art School.

2008 – Vittorio interviews Colin Lyas, author of Aesthetics and Lecturer at Lancashire University on all matters related to intentionalism and philosophy. The interview is in 6 parts on Youtube.

2009 – Vittorio is invited to write an essay on Intentism for the online magazine ‘Metamute.’

This essay would later form the basis for the published book ‘Intentism. The Resurrection of the Artist.’

https://www.metamute.org/community/your-posts/intentism-resurrection-author

2009– Interviewed by The University of the Arts Alumni magazine about the growing movement.

2009– Invited by the University of the Arts to hold a panel debate at Chelsea School of Arts for the annual alumni festival. The panel consisted of Vittorio Pelosi, Professor Paisley Livingston and Stephen Carter. (See photo above.) The panel debate can be listened to on Youtube.

2009– First Intentism Exhibition in Soho, London.

2009 Vittorio begins his fruitful relationship with Professor Noam Chomsky. The initial conversations centred on a discussion whether language is primarily a tool for mental computation or for communication. Chomsky and the Intentists find common ground here.

2009-2012 Vittorio begins a series of interviews with many of the world’s leading writers and philosophers on intentionalism. Nearly all had written and published extensively on the subject. The interviews can be found on Youtube. In 2012 the interviews were transcribed and made into a book ‘Intentism: The interviews 2009-2012.’ Interviewees include Professor Colin Lyas, Professor Robert Stecker, Professor William Irwin, Professor Jerrold Levinson, Professor Paisley Livingston, Professor Hans Maes, Professor Noam Chomsky, and Professor Peter Lamarque.

2010– Weekly Intentist Gatherings at the home of Sydney Heighington. Discussing theory and creating art works.

2011– Battle of Ideas conference organized a debate at their annual convention. The panel debate is held at The Royal College of Art. The speakers are Vittorio Pelosi, poet Dr. George Szirtes, Dolan Cummings, and John Sutherland, Emeritus Lord Northcliffe Professor of English Literature, University College London. The full debate is on Youtube.

2011 Vittorio is asked to write an article about art and intention for The Independent newspaper online

2011 Intentist and fine artist Adrian Haak Jnr. edits Intentist’s first publication of Intentist work. The book also included interviews with the artists.

2011 Vittorio is interviewed on a local radio station about the movement.

2011 The Intentists write to over 90 galleries in the UK asking for representation and/or an exhibiting opportunity. All but five do not reply. The five are scathing about the movement. One famously refers to the movement as Mr. Intentism.

2011 Sydney Heighington organizes the second major Intentism Exhibition on Brick Lane, London. The making of the exhibition is filmed with interviews and made into a short film.

The short film was filmed and edited by Joel Windle:

2011 The third Intentism exhibition takes place in London to coincide with an album launch by the Intentist group Remodel.

2011 Intentist demonstrate outside Tate Britain and Tate Modern, London. Intentists are forcibly removed from Tate Modern by security.

An article in the magazine -Ology is written about the movement and the day’s events.

2011 Publication of the various Intentist debates from 2009-2011.

2015 Launch of the Intentism Youtube channel with over 50 shorts called Intentist Bites.

2011 The intentists speak at numerous art schools, such as The University of East London (see below)

2018 – Publication of the books ‘Introducing Intentism. Basic Theory and Practice‘ and ‘Fake your way as an Intentist. Intentism for Beginners.‘

2019 Launch of the Intentism Podcast ‘Intentism Shows.’

2019 Filming of the feature length documentary of the Intentist movement: The Call of Intent

2019 Fourth major Intentist exhibition on two floors with art, music, drama, film and a book stall to coincide with the premiere of the documentary.

2023 Extensive Interview with Professor Chomsky on the Intentism Podcast ‘Intentism Shows.’

2025 7th Intentist book and second that focuses on the artwork ‘Intentist Art. A Retrospective 2009-2023‘