The exhibit Avarice and Greed Through Time is a collection of multimedia works spanning the 15th and 21st centuries that explore the changing outlooks on the two values.
Changes in attitudes towards avarice and greed can be seen when unpacking art spanning these centuries. Works from the medieval period heavily embody the condemnation of avaricious behaviors, whereas those from the 21st century explore the ways in which greed has become normalized and celebrated.
Throughout history, there has been a drastic change in the outlooks on avarice and greed, which are both characterized by an insatiable desire for wealth or material gains. A central Christian belief in medieval times was that these values were the primary opposing forces to the religion, as they were seen as the worst vices and root of all evil.
The shift in the world's economic systems, alongside the prominence of capitalism, has created an environment in which greed has become largely destigmatized and encouraged in the 21st century. In contrast to Dante’s medieval world, the focus has strayed from the pursuit of virtue and a widely accepted consensus on the criticism of greed for its immoral nature. Although avarice and greed are still heavily criticized today, there is no longer the steadfast denunciation of the traits that existed in medieval times.