Bad Art: There’s More Than Meets Eye
By Elizabeth Ajiduah
Graphic shows three boxes: one large one on the left and two small stacked on the right on a purple and pink gradient. In each box is an abstract design. Under the large one, words read, "Sphere and Line, by: smith", under the first small box: "Line, by: smith", and the second small box: "scratch paper, by: smith".
With art, people are able to envision multiple realities and put their ideas on a canvas. A person’s current material conditions collapse for just a moment as they are immersed in their own imagination. Without art, the world would be a lonely and bland place. New connections forged through drawings and paintings would cease to exist and humanity’s creative spirit would be dampened.
During the Renaissance era, art became an important aspect of society. Royal families and aristocrats would commission art pieces from sculptors, painters, and illustrators. The Medicis, a well-known Italian banking family, sponsored artists like Sandro Botticelli, Domenico Ghirlandio, and Leonardo Da Vinci. Michelangelo Buonarroti, also known as Michelangelo, lived with the Medicis for a few years and produced multiple pieces of work for them. This practice would continue long after these European dynasties ceased to exist.
The Industrial Revolution gave birth to a new upper class who were factory owners, merchants and oil barons. One notable family was the Rockerfellers. Their Patriarch, John D Rockerfeller Senior, amassed 285 billion dollars from Standard Oil Company, which produced, transported, refinied, and marketed oil. As he and others like him ruled the capitalist landscape, many people lived in abject poverty. For instance, in New York City, because there was a surge of immigrants, people scrambled to set up accommodations. Instead of authorities investing in quality housing for newcomers coming into the city, they decided to construct tenements which were cramped, had poor ventilation, and no plumbing. Numerous people started to pose the question, “How could the Rockerfellers live in excess, while the working class were forced to live in squalor?” As a result, there was a surge in labor militancy as people demanded an economic system which prioritized regular folks' needs, not the ones of the rich.
Rockefeller Senior knew he couldn’t just ignore the outrage; it showed no sign of dissipating. Instead, he donated to numerous academic institutions and charitable organizations. His son, John D Rockefeller Junior, would follow in his philanthropic footsteps, but would focus more on the arts. Rockefeller Junior was so enthusiastic that he even erected the Rockefeller Center, a place where New Yorkers could come and enjoy the different arrays of art and entertainment. Slowly but surely, people focused more on the Rockefellers’ cultural contributions rather than their expansive wealth.
Although the Rockerfellers’ motivations were nefarious, places like the Rockefeller Center democratized pleasure. Most people could not and cannot afford the works of esteemed artists or private concerts, but for a few bucks people could purchase movie tickets, go to an opera, or if they were lucky, see the paintings and sculptures residing in the buildings. But currently, wealthy people also have their eyes on lackluster pieces. In 2015, Robert RYman’s painting Bridge, which looks like a worn out tile, was sold for 20.6 million dollars. To me at least, purchasing this piece seems like a waste of money. When I look at it, I do not feel any pleasure, any joy, or get any inspiration. Instead, I am fairly confused. What does this piece mean? What does it want to convey? What is the purpose? How could it be worth that much?
For those who are part of the one percent, paintings like Bridge give them a perfect opportunity to assert their knowledge. Families and friends will gather around this painting and discuss their own theories behind it. Even if they are as dumbfounded as I am, artworks like this create the illusions that they know everything. In a way, they manage to commodify the uniqueness to display their superiority. Also, because they ‘understand’ this obscure piece of art, they understand the other obscurities of life.
Unfortunately, this mindset allows them to manipulate fairly important facets of society. From the tenth to nineteenth century, European monarchs were able to use religion to maintain their own political stability. Anglican, Catholic, and Lutheran royal families were proponents of a doctrine called the Divine Right. It meant that God selected them to rule over their kingdom. In turn, they treated their subjects unfairly and cruelly because they were solely loyal to God not them. These royal families were able to escape accountability from their citizens because no one wanted to go against the will of God. Whether regular people liked it or not, the Almighty bestowed on noble families knowledge and wisdom, something that was not offered to working or middle class people.
Besides divine providence, wealthy people had and still have access to some of the best education in the world. Presumably, this gives them the ability to understand works like Bridge, but also the ability to understand works like the Communist Manifesto or Marx’s Capital. While working class or middle people are also reading these materials, those who are wealthy often object to their anti-capitalist fervor because they ‘know better’. Though Neoliberalism has denied people economic stability and a strong public healthcare system, it should not be questioned.
Oftentimes, outlets of enjoyment become markers of status. Even then, the public saw these artworks containing an unlimited amount of beauty and poise. People witnessed cultural innovations emerge as rich folks looked for new and improved status markers. However, some of the pieces contain no substance and leave one puzzled. At the end of the day, some art mediums are created for ulterior motives. This should not stop folks from enjoying or talking about art. Instead, like everything else, people should be mindful of what they are consuming and the message an art piece may be trying to convey .