Art Museums.....Does anybody get them?

Question

I recently went to the Guggenheim and the MOMA - I just don't see what all the fuss is about when it comes to art. You either like something or you don't but how can people stand there and call something a masterpiece when a 3 year old child could do better and how can you debate the the meaning behind the picture? and who cares!!!

Am I just a philistine?

Answer 1

i agree with you on some levels.

you either like it or you don't. i hate discussing about how one painting is better than another.

for me good art is based how on personal reaction. does it make you feel emotion? does it stimulate your brain? if a painting or a sculpture or a child's drawing or whatever can get a reaction out of you then i has served its purpose. and that's it.

Answer 2

"If you go to the Guggenheim and MOMA, don't get the attraction and think a 3 year old could do better.... you just. might. be... a Philistine." -The Artist Formerly Known as Jeff Foxworthy

I'm not making fun of you, I just couldn't pass up the opportunity to make a bad joke.

There's nothing wrong with being a "philistine". There's a scene in the movie "The Squid and the Whale" where the child of two authors talks about his desire to label himself a "philistine" (Billy Balwin as a tennis pro being his philistine mentor/idol) as a way to rebel against his cultural snob of a father. It's quite hilarious.

However, like other posters stated - what people identify as "beauty" is an individual value. I can guarantee you that those artists that you viewed their work invest a considerable amount of thought and effort into those works as well. The "3 year old could do it" is a common yet very misguided sentiment. Those artists are masters of their craft, and sometimes those things that may seem 'simple' are often times the most complex.

Think of metaphors. Why do we use metaphors in language? We have very precise language descriptors, yet when we discuss grand ideas we lean towards the nebulous in the hope that it might encapsulate a sentiment we may not have thought of, or maybe can not yet conceive of.

How does one paint an intangible notion, like "love" for instance? One can name instances or examples of "love", but do any or just one encapsulate them all. Is "love" not a feeling, a sense? How do one paint a "feeling" or sense? Why wouldn't we try to visual convey these feeling in the same manner as what we do with lannguage. Both are expressions. Can we simply experience "beauty", or does it have to be seen?

'Modern' art is simply leaving behind the visual reality in the hope to express or convey something beyond the way you see the 'real' world. I can guarantee no 3 year old can grasp those concepts. Nor could a 3 year old replicate the decision making process (which is a huge aspect of "modern" art's creation) that goes into it.

Without trying to be snobbish about it... there is simply more there than you are picking up on. There's nothing wrong with that, and I'm not saying it an intelligence indicator either. It's simply just that some pick up on it, and other's try really hard to learn about it (there's an investment aspect to it all), and we find it rewarding. No different than there is an investent (time) to get to know a person.

We're all different, we're all the same. One could be correct to say people are simple or people are complex. We're capable of being both. Art is no different.

Answer 3

Art museums could seem rather boring to someone who would walk in with that in mind already. I enjoy art museums, but I don't always like all of the work in them. When an artist creates something they are trying to convey a message to the viewer. Art is a form of communication. Most likely the pieces you were looking at were speaking a different language so to speak. Try going to smaller gallery shows instead of museums. If you don't like what you see you have much less to look at. If the work does speak to you and you catch a glimpse of understanding then that small gallery with a few pieces just became very large.

Answer 4

This is the common misconception of modern art. Use this as your chance to learn about it before and if you choose to look at it again. You will appreciate it better, and if you can't, do yourself a favor and choose to look at older or more traditional art.

Modern art spans nearly a century, and it would be wise not to discount it based on taste. There are hundreds of worthy artists in this period representing history and culture. Much of the art in this period is not about speaking to you in the traditional sense of art, provoking awe, capturing realism, etc (though plenty of art from this period still does this). The early modernists broke away from academic tradition for many important reasons. Give some study to this and you'll begin to understand and perhaps appreciate the path and movements following.

Answer 5

Art is subjective. If you don't see what the fuss is about, and you don't care, ok! That's the whole point...it's in the eye of the beholder.

Art speaks to some people. I love going to art museums. Personally certain pieces jump out, grab and capture me. And some do absolutely nothing. But that's me! If it does nothing for you then so be it.

Answer 6

Hi..it's really just what you see when you look at art. It's kinda like music and how it makes you feel or how you relate to it.Some people like R&B..some country..some don't care at all.It's just a way that people express theirselves and how it makes other people feel when they do it.Maybe art is not your thing but I bet there is something that makes you feel happy or sad.That is your art..your place and your debate.Try it again and be open to what you see or stick with what makes you feel inspired.Just be inspired by something..that's the key.

Answer 7

yea, i think you might just be a philistine. a lot of times you have to know the history behind a piece to fully understand it. theres a lot of symbolism, and a lot of politics behind it. you have to be willing to think past the oil and canvas to see what the artist was really getting at. and yes, this can be tedious, and you probably have to be in the mood to do it, but it can be really thought provoking if youre into it.

Answer 8

I would say I'm pretty artistic in the sense that i can draw and paint very well MQ: Pink floyd and Syd Barrett= Genius!

Answer 9

They are boring as hell