A monument to RGB by Daniel Heller

Good versus cheap art

What is “Good Art” and what is considered “Bad Art”?  Is there a distinction between the two? A discourse that would surely lead to a nonconclusive result. This is because ART has no credible definition. Therefore, this remains one of the most difficult subjects for anyone to debate. The reason is that each person has different criteria when they look at art. Some might say “this is horrible”, while others might say, “Oh…this is beautiful”. The old adage “beauty is in the eye of the beholder” still holds strong today. This article is not about to educate anyone how to look at art. That kind of education takes years and can’t be condensed in a post. It is just about spurring interest.

Museum of bad art

Apparently, there is a distinction between good an bad in visual arts. The proof is that a museum dedicated to bad art actually exists. The Museum of Bad Art (MOBA) collects bad art. According to one source, the museum has been celebrating “Failure” since 1993. The funniest part is, that the MOBA has “exacting standards”. But a visual definition of so-called “bad” remains elusive. The definition changes from person to person. Some may consider “Kitsch” as bad. Others may consider “Modernism” bad. And still, others would call “Post Modernism” bad form. In the new era (today), the demarcation line has never been more undefined.

In conclusion, the distinguishing line between “Good” and “Bad” will always remain unclear. And this article will not teach you how to distinguish. This is for you the reader to think and come up with an answer. And, yes as stated earlier it would take years of study to be able to distinguish correctly.

Real good art

No one knows anymore what is good or bad in the arts. We are beyond that point. Humanity is being bombarded daily with a mammoth of visual images. In 2014, according to Mary Meeker’s annual Internet Trends report, people uploaded an average of 1.8 billion digital images every single day. Someone who has not had an artistic education or a training in the arts will find it impossible to distinguish real “art”. Most of what is shared on social media as of this writing, in my opinion, is not art at all. Anyone can “share” anything they feel uploading on social media.

Once upon a time, there were periods of time when artists excelled. They gave their soul to the arts. They worked hard and created outstanding “ART”. These artists were dedicated and had a lot of time to practice their art. And plenty of patience and skills. They were masters of their art as well as in their craft. One such period just a few hundred years back was the Renaissance. Some of the greatest pieces of art were created then.

Good art needs to act, almost like an advertisement. It has to advertise or rather translate the artist’s art narrative to the viewer to be able to capture the viewer’s interest.

“…good art can lead to the formation of good character…” Socrates. And good art can aid in the healing process.

In conclusion, the distinguishing line between “Good” and “Bad” art will most likely, always remain unclear. And this article will not teach you how to distinguish. This is for you the reader to think and come up with an answer.

Sources:

Adam Geczy and Jacqueline Millner “Fashionable Art” (2015)
Fredric Jameson “Post Modernism and Consumer society” (essay)
What is “Good art”? article on this BLOG