Best of the Spectator Spectator Out Loud: what's the greatest artwork of the century so far?
Dec 7, 2025
Writers reveal their picks for the greatest artwork of the 21st century. From Kate Bush's iconic performances to the dramatic brilliance of 'Jerusalem,' the conversation sparkles. TV is hailed as the new art form, with 'Black Mirror' and 'Station Eleven' leading the charge. Ambitious pieces like Michael Finnissy's piano epic and Stockhausen's opera cycle also make the cut. Even architecture gets a nod with the innovative Ocado center, while choreographic masterpieces like 'Flight Pattern' humanize pressing global issues.
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Epic Solo Piano Marathon
- Michael Finnissy's History of Photography and Sound is a five-and-a-half-hour solo piano epic demanding extreme virtuosity.
- Patrick Gibbons recalls seeing Ian Pace master the score and getting lost alongside another audience member.
Scale Can Elevate Modern Works
- Ambitious contemporary works can attain Wagner-level devotion despite initial dismissal.
- Karlheinz Stockhausen's Licht, a 29-hour opera cycle completed in 2003, exemplifies such sprawling modern ambition.
Documentary As Urgent Art
- Nature documentaries can be masterpieces with urgent conservation messages and breathtaking cinematography.
- David Attenborough's Ocean is praised for stunning imagery and a clear call to expand marine protected areas.