6 Best Shenanigans Passed Off As "Art"

[solicitr]

[Language warning]

http://www.cracked.com/article_16107_6- ... s-art.html

[yovargas]

This kind of stuff usually makes my eyes roll. But the final one actually makes me angry. Excuse me while I go shout expletives.

[solicitr]

What I find funniest is 500 'art scholars' soberly pronouncing DuChamp's 'Fountain' to be the mosts significant work of the 20th-century- blissfully clueless, apparently, that DuChamp was snarkily sending up 'sober art scholars!'

I've long thought that if anyone were to write a new book on this stuff, a good title would be "The Emperor's New Art."

[Lalaith]

That would make a good title, solicitr.

I think "ew" described my feelings on most of those--as well as anger. (And, yes, I realize the artist may say, "Aha! That's exactly what I wanted you to feel!" And I would say, well, something to the effect of "Get bent!")

I really do have little patience for this type of thing. I'm not exactly sure why, but it really stirs up angry feelings in me. (Well, I have some idea of why but not sure anyone wants to have the discussion.)

[yovargas]

The skull is silly but doesn't deserve to be on that list, IMO. It's at least pretty neat looking.
The poo and pee stuff is mainly just dumb but pretty harmless if it didn't get art critics taking it seriously.
But the last one? That guy is stealing. Stealing from people with real skill. And getting enourmously wealthy by doing so (whyyyyyyyyy would people pay for that??????????) Imagine being the people that he's stealing from. Imagine watching him get paid 7 figures for an image you created. That's not just silly, it's evil.

[solicitr]

I agree, Yovargas: the last guy is getting rich off fraud. The poo and pee stuff is silly, and I wouldn't object to silly but for the fact that my tax dollars went to support it.

[Lalaith]

I feel the same way. I do not understand why the last guy is even in business. Why would someone pay for that?

[BrianIsSmilingAtYou]

What I find funniest is 500 'art scholars' soberly pronouncing DuChamp's 'Fountain' to be the mosts significant work of the 20th-century- blissfully clueless, apparently, that DuChamp was snarkily sending up 'sober art scholars!'

I've long thought that if anyone were to write a new book on this stuff, a good title would be "The Emperor's New Art."

Actually, the best send up of modern pictorial art (painting) is Thomas Wolfe's "The Painted Word", a rather short work, which simultaneously gives an excellent method for understanding and comprehending much of it.

I am not sure if a similar tome exists for sculpture or mixed media art, but I can imagine that some of the principles used in "The Painted Word" could be adapted.

In the case of "Fountain", by DuChamp, this would be relatively easy--in fact, it appears to be emblematic of Wolfe's scathing thesis in "The Painted Word", even though is it nominally a sculpture and not a painting. As such, I am little surprised it would be selected as the most important work of 20th century art.

A similar rationale would probably apply to the guy who "steals" photographs (and some of the others), which isn't much different from what someone like Warhol often did in a lot of ways, so he stole the idea as well.

The whole idea revolves around contextualization and the idea that each work of modern art depends on the "theory" that applies to that work of art, but it is best to read Wolfe's book as he tears the art world a new fecal orifice.

BrianIs AtYou

[yovargas]

Actually, the best send up of modern pictorial art (painting) is Thomas Wolfe's "The Painted Word"

Ordered.