Has modern art become a joke?
According to the Museum of Modern Art’s director, René d’Harnoncourt, modern art “in chronological terms, […] means work done from about 1885 to 1964, though the art form still exists today. The word ‘modern,’ however, generally has a somewhat different connotation from ‘contemporary.’
By ‘modern art,’ as distinct from ‘contemporary,’ we mean art that strives to embody new ideas in new forms, or modify traditional forms, in creative ways that give them fresh meaning for our own times.”
Modern art has strayed from its original definition. Although Modern art typically refers to art made during a certain period for a certain purpose, it has turned into a way for people to get rich without making any actual art.
Wilton High School sophomore, Gabby Torres, weighed in on the controversy: “For modern art, nowadays, you don’t see that much talent, even though it’s often judged by how you (the viewer) see the art and not by the art itself. When you look into what makes art art, it is the originality and the heart of the artist that goes into it. You don’t see that as much in art today.”
She is not the only one who perceives modern art in this way. To some, modern artists do not put any thought or effort into their art, considering the high prices they charge for it.
In addition to Torres, Holly Bonomo, a WHS sophomore, shares a similar view: “Part of art, and what you’re usually spending money on, is the time factor, like how many hours it took. I think modern artists take away from that because they seem to produce very quickly. I’m sure there’s more time spent thinking about it, but people should pay based on the number of hours and hard work put into the art piece. Thus, I do think that the process for a lot of modern art is a lot less time-consuming than older art forms, so it should not be priced as ridiculously high as it is today.”
Not only has there been a shift in artistic standards, but the perceived value has elevated the prices. Some of the most expensive art pieces have been ones that are classified as modern art, such as Mark Rothko’s Orange, Red, Yellow which has a value of $86.9 million USD. While some people might say that the yellow rectangle in this painting can symbolize happiness and the orange one can symbolize enjoyment, most people will agree that this particular painting has no meaning; it shows no sophistication or talent, and the cost appears unjustified for such a simple technique.
Many artists have criticized this new type of art. Artists such as Maurizio Cattelan and Banksy are great examples of artists who use the contemporary artistic movement to critique those who want to make a quick buck.
Maurizio Cattelan creates provocative works of art to critique history, society, and culture, such as the Comedian.
Similarly, Banksy created a scathing indictment of the state of contemporary society, politics, and culture. Banksy’s piece Love is in the Bin was sold on October 5th, 2018. The piece was a version of Balloon Girl with a frame created by the artist, which sold for $1,340, 244.64 USD. Shortly after the gavel dropped to confirm the sale, an alarm sounded, and the canvas passed through a shredder hidden within the frame, shredding half the image.
LSU Media’s opinion on this piece was that “This painting directly reflects the artist’s attitude toward the commercialization of art, suggesting that love, sentiment, and truth in artwork fade, overshadowed by high-budget art dealings, just as the frame overshadows the girl’s face in the image.”
As stated by Erin-Atlanta Argun, “The market responded almost immediately to the shred. Banksy fanatics and art investors alike recognized that Love Is In The Bin was a Banksy artwork like no other; a pivotal moment in the trajectory of contemporary art. The value of the work was no longer driven solely by the artist’s reputation in the art world and market, but by the newfound significance of the work once it had been transformed.”
People enjoy modern art because it encourages creativity and self-expression. Many people claim that upon interacting with modern art, they may discover new ways of thinking and perceiving the world.
For example, according to the New York Times Article, When is Art Modern Art “New materials and new techniques in themselves do not make a work modern, though many modern artists have explored their esthetic and expressive potentialities. A Venus de Milo cast in stainless steel would hardly be rated “modern;” but we can use that adjective when an artist like José de Rivera utilizes the same material and exploits its specific tensile properties, its hardness, its ability to take a mirror-like finish and reflect light, to create a form that encircles and moves through space.”
People argue that modern art can be defined by its period, the techniques and materials employed, and the creativity and self-expression of the artist. While this all can be true, very few modern artists show emotions or storytelling in their art, which defeats the meaning of art. In my opinion, art is an expression of human creativity, emotion, and imagination, which can often manifest through visual, auditory, or performative forms to convey ideas or meaning.
To prevent modern artists from getting away with robbery, people need to stop supporting these artists who use art for money and instead support true artists who create art as a form of expression of ideas.
