Does Pretending You Understand Modern Art Make You Feel Good?
Modern Art is a psy opp. It was planned and engineered by the CIA. These records are available now. Of course, the theory is deeply controversial. The cult of modern art supporters is tenacious and terrified of being “outed.”Yet art is still in thrall to these weird beliefs about what it is. Do you know the definition of the word “thrall”? Here it is from dictionary.com:
“a person who is morally or mentally enslaved by some power, influence, or the like: He was the thrall of morbid fantasies.?”
1. a person held in bondage or slavery.?
2. slavery; thralldom.?
3. the condition of being in the power of something or someone; a state of subjugation or rapt absorption: We will receive no help from the media, who are for the most part in thrall to the political establishment.?
“Even if you don’t understand art, doesn’t it feel good to pretend that you do?”
The above quote was the heading of a recent article in Town and Country Magazine. It caught my eye because I have felt this was the actual state of affairs for years. I despise the hypocrisy of this statement. Much of modern art is simply a joke. The excuse is that art uses color, purity of line, use of space, and the impact of applying unusual materials. Many times, it is just horrific. It is not beautiful or even pretty. Yet I have heard people I know well speak of the most hideous art in glowing terms and with such earnest lies and prevarications. It shocked me. It’s high time we question the value we place on modern art and reevaluate our artistic standards.
For years and years, I have railed against the awful art that is sported by the elite as special, unique, and valuable. Do they honestly believe this utter BS? It reminds me of the story of the Emperor’s New Clothes. Everyone is afraid they will be criticized for saying what they actually think. They are looking at horrendous jumbles and tell us we are supposed to find it “Great Art.”
People like Jackson Pollock are jokesters who have played a huge trick on art lovers. Many of these earnest supporters are all “in on” the conspiracy to make people believe this is art. I have been laughed at as a Philistine for not valuing modern art. It’s a lonely and frustrating position to hold in the art world, where conformity seems to be the only accepted norm.
It is confusing to feel shocked when I go to a museum and see some new work hanging there for reasons that are utterly beyond me. And I hear people exclaiming about them as if they were indeed magnificent.
Have you ever seen “the banana taped with duct tape against a white wall?” Called ‘Comedian’ by Maurizio Cattelan, it caused a ruckus and sold for $120,000. That was supposed to be art. Who is kidding whom? How did we get here, anyway? Well, part of it was the millions of dollars invested in modern art by the CIA. It was during the beginning of the Cold War with Russia. I don’t know whose bright idea it was to try to protect American values by encouraging a style that did nothing of the sort.
?I have always sensed that the adoration of some modern artists, such as Jackson Pollock and Robert Motherwell, was fake. My favorite example of horrible art is by Motherwell. Have you ever seen one of Motherwell’s black brush strokes on white canvas? This is art, indeed—the art of fooling the public and making money simultaneously. And art lovers everywhere exclaim and compliment the brush stroke. In some cases, it is only one large brush stroke.
Maybe I feel grumpy about hypocrisy because I am being inundated with clips and podcasts about the Democratic National Convention in Chicago this week. What a bunch of crybabies, and so dark, and deeply disturbing, it reminds me of modern art. Like “Modern Art” trying to be deep, Kamala is trying to depict Joy. Nope.
Copyright©. 2024 Bonnie B. Matheson
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2 thoughts on “Does Pretending You Understand Modern Art Make You Feel Good?”
I understand your frustration with how some art, which seems simple or meaningless, is treated as important, almost as if there’s some kind of plan to make people value things that don’t really deserve value – like a banana on a wall ?. You believe modern art isn’t about real expression or beauty anymore; instead, it’s more about following trends, fitting in, and making money. This raises an important question: how should we decide what makes art valuable?
My uncle and his second wife has several Rothkos at their place in Upperville. It took me a while but I came to very much enjoy them. And I came to like Rothko’s work. But I must say that as a whole I am with you. What especially bothers me is when people think I am horrid for saying ” I don’t get that” or ” I really can’t say I like that” about a picture. Often I don’t “get” modern art. And I know I am not stupid. Overly educated perhaps, stupid no. So what is wrong in saying I don’t get it?? And those art “experts” who want to give me an explanation of the work that I perhaps could only understand when I am under the influence of some edible gummies from the pot store? Brilliant art may often be complex but is also approachable. Look at Picasso and Guernica — his style of painting may not be your favorite but it is approachable and you can get his point of the horror of warfare. ANd the more you examine it the more you may see. It may not be something that you would want to hang over your fireplace (size would be an issue….) but you can still see its worth, its message, But go to a “modern” gallery nowadays and my charge plates and my check book are safe — and I like to buy pictures. A weakness of mine. You have typed out my issue. Thank you!!!!