"I can do that too" when looking at art in museums

[Anonymous]

My DD has done Mondrians for years, and people have asked me if it's real. So I had her do a couple Rothko's. . She's a phenomenal artist. Looks real. You wouldn't be able to tell.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Re: some modern art, it's understandable and likely true.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It makes you sound uneducated. Like you don't understand the history and concepts behind the art.

Rubbish.

There’s no history or concept behind the most common types of abstract art. Look at a Hunter Biden finger painting that sells for $500,000 and tell me literally anyone’s 7 year old couldn’t do a similar looking painting.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It makes you sound uneducated. Like you don't understand the history and concepts behind the art.

Rubbish.

There’s no history or concept behind the most common types of abstract art. Look at a Hunter Biden finger painting that sells for $500,000 and tell me literally anyone’s 7 year old couldn’t do a similar looking painting.

Is it Hunter Biden’s stuff on the wall in the art museum?

Didn’t think so.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It makes you sound uneducated. Like you don't understand the history and concepts behind the art.

Rubbish.

There’s no history or concept behind the most common types of abstract art. Look at a Hunter Biden finger painting that sells for $500,000 and tell me literally anyone’s 7 year old couldn’t do a similar looking painting.

Hunter Biden’s art is not in any museums though. He’s not a good artist. And please don’t derail the thread to turn it political.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It makes you sound uneducated. Like you don't understand the history and concepts behind the art.

I’m fine with not being sufficiently educated in this area, the same way I’m fine with not being sufficiently educated as to the detailed history of Middle Earth.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Re: some modern art, it's understandable and likely true.

+1

Yup. I saw a news report about a preschool aged kid who is selling paintings for thousands each. They are no different than what any little kid can paint and I truly don't understand why people are shelling out thousands for a painting.

[Anonymous]

Not a fan of some "modern art" and do think most of us here could recreate the red splotch on the white background or the blue circle.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The emperor’s new clothes.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Re: some modern art, it's understandable and likely true.

+1

Yup. I saw a news report about a preschool aged kid who is selling paintings for thousands each. They are no different than what any little kid can paint and I truly don't understand why people are shelling out thousands for a painting.

then it's not art for you.

someone else clearly wants it. good for them. you keep watching tv or whatever it is you do and we'll all be fine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yeah... not all art is worth putting up and fawning over. People are allowed not to like certain pieces, and express this in a "this is so bad even I could do that" kind of a way. Look past the actual words to the perfectly legitimate sentiment behind.

I know some of you will twist yourselves into pretzels to justify what's hanging in art galleries these days, because you think it makes you sophisticated and able to discern high-order artistic talent...

...but not really. Some things are just crap.

+1 Exactly!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There's a textile art exhibit up right now. Technique-wise, I can do a lot of what I saw there, because that's my job (though if you were to ask me to paint you a picture of it, I couldn't, even to save my life.)

The thing that makes it art isn't always the technique. It's the process (pollack), the environment in which the artist created the piece (ai weiwei), the narrative story behind the work (Mark Bradford's "Pickett's Charge" jumps to mind, but all art has a story), the time invested and what the artist missed to devote that time/energy to the work...

People saying "I can do that too" out loud in museums are probably either trying to sound important/cool, or having a tough time relating to the work(s) on display. Neither is a good look.

NP. If you need a BFA to understand certain art, then what does that say about the art? It becomes precious and intellectual. It also becomes separated from your visceral reaction and emotions.

I suppose we could debate whether art should elicit emotions. And whether accessibility is a valid criterion. We could have the same debate about some modern orchestral music.

As an aside, I don't believe that every piece of "art" comes with its own suitcase of process, narrative story, and/or the artist's blood, sweat and tears. Some art just seems...uninspired. I agree this is less true of art that makes it into a museum, but it does seem more true about some of the art on the walls of my local coffee shop.

On the other hand, I remember a lecture at Penn about the Philly art museum installing a Rocky statue on those grand front steps. The prof concluded that it spoke to people, so it was a good thing and might even bring more people into the museum. I guess I agree with that, especially if you take the statue as embodying all the (fictional) struggles and aspirations of the film.

[Anonymous]

I could do a Jeff Koons but why would I want to?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not a fan of some "modern art" and do think most of us here could recreate the red splotch on the white background or the blue circle.

When you see a piece like this, that looks simple, try moving to the side and looking at the texture. Move to the other side of the room and look at it, then walk toward it. Get as close as you respectfully can (don't set off the sensors; that shouldn't be necessary). Read the info card and think about when and where it was made, and with what materials, and what the artist might've been doing if not making that piece. There are all sorts of subtleties in most pieces like this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There's a textile art exhibit up right now. Technique-wise, I can do a lot of what I saw there, because that's my job (though if you were to ask me to paint you a picture of it, I couldn't, even to save my life.)

The thing that makes it art isn't always the technique. It's the process (pollack), the environment in which the artist created the piece (ai weiwei), the narrative story behind the work (Mark Bradford's "Pickett's Charge" jumps to mind, but all art has a story), the time invested and what the artist missed to devote that time/energy to the work...

People saying "I can do that too" out loud in museums are probably either trying to sound important/cool, or having a tough time relating to the work(s) on display. Neither is a good look.

NP. If you need a BFA to understand certain art, then what does that say about the art? It becomes precious and intellectual. It also becomes separated from your visceral reaction and emotions.

I suppose we could debate whether art should elicit emotions. And whether accessibility is a valid criterion. We could have the same debate about some modern orchestral music.

As an aside, I don't believe that every piece of "art" comes with its own suitcase of process, narrative story, and/or the artist's blood, sweat and tears. Some art just seems...uninspired. I agree this is less true of art that makes it into a museum, but it does seem more true about some of the art on the walls of my local coffee shop.

On the other hand, I remember a lecture at Penn about the Philly art museum installing a Rocky statue on those grand front steps. The prof concluded that it spoke to people, so it was a good thing and might even bring more people into the museum. I guess I agree with that, especially if you take the statue as embodying all the (fictional) struggles and aspirations of the film.

Believing that it's "precious and intellectual" is a reaction based on your emotions/interpretation of the piece, the artist, and the concept of the value of art.

When the art seems "uninspired", it can be a reflection of the viewer.