There is truth to this, but you make it sound like the news. If it were that simple, everyone would agree on what is Great art. Further, your formula has left no room for truth, beauty or wisdom. Perhaps in the current, your formula holds more true, but standing the test of time and criticism is more complex.
I don't think Modern art is just a matter of wealthy style setters or the CIA but it is a matter of understanding context and to a large part acquiring the taste. Consider fine wine or fine beer. How many of you the first time you tried wine or beer liked the taste? Once you get passed the initial flavor you can start to appreciate the subtleties of the it. Modern art is a lot like fine wine that you need to get passed the initial shock of, that doesn't look like the Mona Lisa, to appreciate what it is about.
You could say that about many art forms though. I mean I can make some words rhyme so what's to prevent me from becoming a great rapper? I'm on clutchfans typing with ma hands I like big boobies that feel like bags of sand I once read a book written by Ayn Rand
Another ambiguous answer from someone who lives shrouded in fear. Click the spoiler tag in post #95 and using your own interpretational skills, articulately, meticulously and methodically describe what you feel from the samples. And how you differentiate the weaker pieces from the stronger pieces. Your time starts now.
I was talking about the many art forms. There are plenty of people pretending to be musicians or dancers or who-knows-what who don't have a lick of talent either. Some are even very successful commercially. Anybody can call himself an artist, which is unfortunate because they degrade the reputations of worthwhile artists with their contributions. Accountants or realtors can make trade organizations to prop up the quality of people who profess the occupation, but you can't really do that among artists.
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Ronny, In most of this thread, I was just trying to be funny about the art scene ... "oh, yeah, you don't like art; well that's because you never slept with a wild artist." I was trying to be funny about being a groupie, hoping someone would bash me for it, so I could show the irony of loving Britney and cheerleaders...and hanging with ******* football players or band members to get closer. That's not really how I operate. I love my sister. Art in High School saved her in a lot of ways. She got her masters of fine arts, and I became her biggest fan. I went to art openings to actually look at the art, not be part of the scene. And then I learned, through some of her ******* artist bf's and their friends, that I really didn't like a lot of artists. I stopped going to openings and rather went other days to be away from that crap. Now her husband is awesome. And he makes a big mess when he does his installations that so many people of all diversity enjoy. People who don't like art. He is a quiet man, and I love to help him clean up. Like thagary, one of Dan's goals is to make his art accessible to the masses. I love looking at a lot of stuff. I know about 3% of what rimbaud and my sister know. She is an incredible personal docent to see a show with. It helps me appreciate the history. I learn more from her walking around a gallery for one show, than two semesters of art history classes. My knowledge of the Soviet and Cold War influence on Art ... my interest in that is less about saying what movement I like ... it's the politics that attracted me to study that. I became obsessed with why two governments became obsessed with artists. make sense. Somewhat like why I was stunned when I first saw Guernica live in Madrid. So huge! One helluva moment in time Picasso chose to memorialize. I'm not a huge fan of AbEx, but I can stare at a really good one for over 30 minutes. The textured oil is vastly superior to any blown glass technique I've seen. And the history, time and place, of how the movement came about. But I would never start a "Blown Glass is Stupid" thread. bottomline: I understand the pretentiousness. I understand the silly prices. I understand the scam. But I still love it. I can ignore the pretentious artists...and their insecurities and need for fame. Mainly because, I can ignore the fact I think Sting was somewhat a dick, and Lennon was a wee bit over dramatic, as was Orsen Welles ... and so on and so on. It comes with the territory of enjoying life more by enjoying talent.
you're definitely not alone on this. I've heard several of my friends say the same thing as you (including musicians). I agree with their approach to their art, but never quite understood their obsession with worrying about "selling out" or looking down on other artists for self-promoting themselves. We could say the Art Guys are a scam. But they are quite inventive, and they make people laugh, and their self-promotion techniques helped them maximize how many people they could make laugh...and think. Plus, they are just regular guys when outside of the scene. Good people. I'm glad they could make enough money to keep doing it. and they in fact do have drawing talent. I helped Jack restore an old house. He needed to draw an idea for the owner of how he thought one part should be redone. Grabbed a pencil and paper and drew part of the house in about 30 seconds, perfect lines, circles and angles and he touched it up with shading while talking about it. Few architects I know could have sketched something like that so fast.
I still have my old tool box from my undergrad studio days filled with oils that has a "F*** art, let's kill" sticker on it. I got weird looks. Not as bad as when I wore my "Whitey Will Pay" shirt around main campus, though. Ah, to be young... heyp...isn't 3% being a bit generous to yourself. Not just about art. Maybe 3% or art but when you add everything else I am thinking 1.38% sounds fair. Oh and I just want to say that everyone in this thread is a Publicity Pump circumstance. I think that will be the name of my next show...it will be awesome because I will say it is. Because I am elite. I am "in the know". My paintings are famous and they're worth lots of dough Pretty girls all hang around my gallery shows I'm as good with my paintbrush as I am with my lips Stick around, honey, learn some ass-thetic tips Baby, I'm a fine artiste And maybe I deserve to be kissed
My greatest moment at a gallery opening was the Art Guys CAM show when they lit the wall of matches. Ann Richards was there with her bright red lipstick. I went up to her add said, "I'm not a baby but will you give me a kiss on the cheek." She laughed and did. And then I realized how disarming you look once you have one bright red kiss on your face. I proceeded to collect about 6 more that night. try it. it works. especially on New Year's Eve and St Patty's Day. oops, but you're married. maybe not a good idea.
Thanks. That's all I was looking for, an honest attempt at an explanation. Rocketsjudoke certainly didnt have the courage to do it. My issue isnt with the pretiousness that comes from the artist - who I think has every right to be if his work actually merits an emotional response - but the audience that makes mountains out of molehills. I mean there are so called experts who cant distinguish between a piece where the artist is actually trying to say something, and a piece by an amateur throwing paint around. And that's why I dont give much importance to the genre. But if it works for you, more power to you.
