Take a Look At What Passes for "Art" in 2024 USA

[Moonglow]

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41X8ea0AvOL._AC_UF894,1000_QL80_.jpg

 

[EvilCat Breath]

Art? This shit is junk.

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No one would suggest this as art.

 

[protectionist]

Oh, I get it. You like one style of art. No problem.

But to claim what Picasso painted is not art is simply inaccurate.

You are like music fans who think their favorite style of music is the only music, and anything else is just noise. Your claims are ego driven, not based on the art.

1. Huh ? Are you claiming that I said that "what Picasso painted is not art" ?

2. You may notice that I have posted a few of my music paintings in this thread. You may also note that they show 3 entirely different styles of music (Rock, Classical, & Bluegrass), all 3 of which I also play on the instruments shown (Violin, Mandolin, Guitar)

3. What I have criticized here regarding art, is not a matter of style. It is simply a statement that some things that pass for art, are really just fake scams. Just like with music, I paint in more than one style. The Bluegrass Garden painting in Post # 35 is surrealism.
The Family in the Park is realism.
And the 3rd one "Angles & Curves" is abstract, with some realism.

Family in the Park by Bert Emanuel

Angles & Curves by Bert Emanuel
Angles left side of painting. Curves right side.

 

[Fort Fun Indiana]

They are black canvases.

Right. Some may hate it.
Personally, I like it.

 

[Leo123]

This is what a supposedly dignified art museum currently displays on its walls, Video is from 11 days ago (February 8, 2024). >>
Sad that we have sunk this low.

But not all is lost. They are still artists producing the REAL thing. They may not have paintings in big city art museums, but they are here, and their paintings are viewable on line.
Here's an example >> Bert Emanuel
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So where does that art museum keep the good shit?

 

[protectionist]

Who knows how someone becomes a world famous and wealthy artist and someone 20 times better languishes in anonymity. Jackson Pollock's work looks like they were done by a six year old with a squirt gun. Colleges have entire theoretical courses devoted to such genius. If you have ever seen anything by Barnett Newman you would be bemused and perplexed. The canvas is divided in half or sometimes thirds and each section painted a different color. His work sells for millions. He is one of the most important artists of our time.

The two most important things about art is, you enjoy creating it and someone else enjoys looking at it. Nothing else matters. Not to anyone.

I have already posted (post 35) how I value my art, and it's about the same as what you said.

"I gauge the value of my art by people just telling me they like it, they sometimes buy it, and to me, it looks like something that I think most people would like to have on their walls, and make us feel good when we see it."

If you are calling Jackson Pollock a genius, I find that shocking (if not disturbing),and of course I disagree totally. Having ben through 5 years of college as a student + 3 more as a teacher, I have mixed feeling about colleges in America. When they teach science I respect that. When they "teach" theoretical courses about art like Jackson Pollock, I consider that barely better than fantasy.

What paintings sell for ($100 or Million$), has zero effect on how I regard art as legit or scam junk. Most of the highest priced so-called art on the market appears to me to be fake, scam nonsense. On the opposite end of the spectrum, sadly, I keep seeing artists with beautiful, real art, selling their paintings for 20 or $30. Sickening.

 

[protectionist]

So where does that art museum keep the good shit?

Good question. If they HAVE any good stuff. I didnt watch th whole video in th OP, but I suppose there might be a few nice paintings in the LA museum. It's weird though that there is so much nonsense on those walls.

At the same time, galleries like Fine Art America and Artpal.com where my collections are, have MANY excellent artists, and MANY excellent paintings. and they sell for nickels & dimes, compared to the junk stuff in the museums and street galleries.

 

[protectionist]

No one would suggest this as art.

When to comes to suggesting things to be "art", nothing surprises me anymore.

 

[Leo123]

Good question. If they HAVE any good stuff. I didnt watch th whole video in th OP, but I suppose there might be a few nice painitnigs in the LA museum. It's weird though that there is so much nonsense on those walls.

At the same time, galleries like Fine Art America and Artpal.com where my collections are, have MANY excellent artists, and MANY excellent paintings. and they sell for nickels & dimes, compared to the junk stuff in the museums and street galleries.

IMO, when it comes to selling art, the purveyors of the venues decide what is 'good.' That video of the museum was almost vacant of viewers which, to me, says a lot about the artwork.

 

[protectionist]

IMO, when it comes to selling art, the purveyors of the venues decide what is 'good.' That video of the museum was almost vacant of viewers which, to me, says a lot about the artwork.

 

[WinterBorn]

If you really understand art, you know there is no such thing as 'better", as everyone's art (real art that is) is an expression of the artist his/herself. I would say my art is as good as Picasso's in my way, as are thousands of other artists, as good as Picasso, or any other artist, all in their own individual way.

Long live individuality.

All artists and their art, are apples & oranges of each other.

Now that actually makes sense.

But earlier in this thread you said something very different.

 

[Leo123]

Is art really art if no one sees it?

 

[Foxfyre]

This is what a supposedly dignified art museum currently displays on its walls, Video is from 11 days ago (February 8, 2024). >>
Sad that we have sunk this low.

But not all is lost. They are still artists producing the REAL thing. They may not have paintings in big city art museums, but they are here, and their paintings are viewable on line.
Here's an example >> Bert Emanuel
View attachment 904708

View attachment 904709

Art has evolved to mostly ugly and meaningless much as American music has evolved to mostly ugly and meaningless. Little imagination. Minimal if any creativity. In my former life as a claims adjuster for awhile, I worked a loss on a huge piece of art that had been damaged in transit. The damage, a small quarter inch tear and a smudge on one place on the canvas. The painting? Solid yellow with a small black square in one corner. The 'experts' advised me it was the popular 'minimalist' form of art. Price tag on the painting? $30,000. But the artist rendered it worthless with the damage. Not sure what the insurance company settled for as I sent in the information without recommendation.

I have an abstract sculpture of a seated Indian woman with a drum in her lap in my living room. It has been damaged in a burglary so the artist/dealer said. One of the woman's hands was broken off. My husband worked that loss and the artist said the damaged sculpture was now worthless. My husband visiting with the insurance authority said he would buy it for $100 and the insurance guy said SOLD! So he brought it home, took a bit of glue to stick the hand back into her sleeve which is how the artist had done it in the first place and you can't tell it was even damaged. The price tag on it originally? $1,600.

It is pure insanity.

 

[Leo123]

Art has evolved to mostly ugly and meaningless much as American music has evolved to mostly ugly and meaningless. Little imagination. Minimal if any creativity. In my former life as a claims adjuster for awhile, I worked a loss on a huge piece of art that had been damaged in transit. The damage, a small quarter inch tear and a smudge on one place on the canvas. The painting? Solid yellow with a small black square in one corner. The 'experts' advised me it was the popular 'minimalist' form of art. Price tag on the painting? $30,000.

It is pure insanity.

Price tags are not value. Did you see the appraisal?

 

[EvilCat Breath]

IMO, when it comes to selling art, the purveyors of the venues decide what is 'good.' That video of the museum was almost vacant of viewers which, to me, says a lot about the artwork.

The Los Angeles County Museum of Art is empty of viewers. The Museums are all generally empty of viewers. This is Los Angeles. Only the wealthy have an interest and then, when it's opening a new collection and security is heavy.

 

[protectionist]

Art has evolved to mostly ugly and meaningless much as American music has evolved to mostly ugly and meaningless. Little imagination. Minimal if any creativity. In my former life as a claims adjuster for awhile, I worked a loss on a huge piece of art that had been damaged in transit. The damage, a small quarter inch tear and a smudge on one place on the canvas. The painting? Solid yellow with a small black square in one corner. The 'experts' advised me it was the popular 'minimalist' form of art. Price tag on the painting? $30,000. But the artist rendered it worthless with the damage. Not sure what the insurance company settled for as I sent in the information without recommendation.

I have an abstract sculpture of a seated Indian woman with a drum in her lap in my living room. It has been damaged in a burglary so the artist/dealer said. One of the woman's hands was broken off. My husband worked that loss and the artist said the damaged sculpture was now worthless. My husband visiting with the insurance authority said he would buy it for $100 and the insurance guy said SOLD! So he brought it home, took a bit of glue to stick the hand back into her sleeve which is how the artist had done it in the first place and you can't tell it was even damaged. The price tag on it originally? $1,600.

It is pure insanity.

Most of us take our perception of art by what is displayed in brick & mortar art galleries and museums. This invariably give us a "minimal" view of art.

These buildings however, are not representitive of the art that is being produced in America. They are only the most touted and most visible. The invisible/silent majority of paintings are in online galleries, and much of them are of very high quality.

So what do I mean by that ? Paintings that make you feel good, and you would like seeing them on your walls. Price has very little to do with it.

 

[protectionist]

The Los Angeles County Museum of Art is empty of viewers. The Museums are all generally empty of viewers. This is Los Angeles. Only the wealthy have an interest and then, when it's opening a new collection and security is heavy.

Art museums, especially modern art,, are like that all over the country. Having lived in 4 states, I found them to be generally empty on most days, even weekends. Perfect for people who don't like crowds.

 

[EvilCat Breath]

The only time I went was to see my own on the wall.

One of my clients had a brother that owned an art gallery in LA. she thought he might be interested in my work. As it turns out, his entire gallery was of one picture of Che Guevara done by hundreds of artists. Different colors, different styles, one iconic picture. Three floors worth.

 

[Foxfyre]

Price tags are not value. Did you see the appraisal?\

The sculpture did appraise for that amount due to the fame of the artist. I doubt seriously that the painting did but the painting was appraised after I turned it back to the insurance company who almost certainly did have it appraised. But the price tags on these pieces of art are incredible for what they are. I do like the sculpture very much but no way in hell would I have even considered paying $1600 for it. I feel we got a good value for the $100.

 

[Foxfyre]

Most of us take our perception of art by what is displayed in brick & mortar art galleries and museums. This invariably give us a "minimal" view of art.

These buildings however, are not representitive of the art that is being produced in America. They are only the most touted and most visible. The invisible/silent majority of paintings are in online galleries, and much of them are of very high quality.

So what do I mean by that ? Paintings that make you feel good, and you would like seeing them on your walls. Price has very little to do with it.

I know some people who are proud of the purported price value of the art they buy but I think some may have more money than good taste in art, LOL. But I agree. I enjoy (and own) pieces of art that mean something to me, that are interesting, or just beautiful. That I do not tire of or view with indifference. Actually many of the wall hangings in our house are great photography done by my husband and every piece has a story as well as being interesting and/or beautiful. But compare some of the so-called recent modern art with that of the old masters and I wonder how we got from there to what passes for art now.

Albuquerque by law has to spend I think 1% of the gross receipts taxes it collects on public art pieces and some of that is wonderful and some of it is god awful. In 1991 they bought one piece the citizens dub "Chevy on a Stick" which is a real junked 54 chevy covered in ugly blue tile sitting on top of an arch covered with ugly mismatched turquoise tile. At a prominent intersection in southeast Albuquerque, it is to me a real eyesore. They paid $75,000 (quite a bit back then) to an Arizona artist for it. As one citizen quipped in the Albuquerque Journal, why in the world did we pay an Arizona artist to put that up when we have a plethora of New Mexico people who do terrible art.