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Once again, I've come across a very insightful blog by artist Lucy Chen and unlisted YouTube video on Contemporary Art by Vladimir London. 

For those who may not be familiar with what contemporary art is, it is art (?), in any medium, be it paintings, drawings, sculptures, installations that may elicit shock value and I use shock loosely. It may also be a colorful design, but in no way does it seem to convey meaning to what is being viewed. Actually, many people may refer to it as ridiculous, crap, a joke, are-you-kidding, to name a few. 

In light of the vast number of contemporary artists out there, I personally think there are some contemporary artists who are worth their salt.

Anyway, I found the blog and video to be paricularly interesting. I've included the link for anyone who might want to read/view it.

http://lucychenfineart.com/shocking-truth-about-contemporary-art/

Encapsulating my interpretation of the video goes as follows. Most of us have heard the story of The Emperor Has No Clothes. The video extrapolates from history this premise with regard to contemporary art, that is, like anything that is continually touted as great, backed up by investors, and heard enough times, evetually becomes acceptable, even if we don't initally like it. Ultimately we feel stupid if we don't understand it, while in reality there is nothing to understand. Just as the emperors clothes, there is really nothing to understand.

Many of the points London brings out in the video I think are trustworthy. However, he brings in the CIA as the culprit of the demise of traditional art. Seeing as this artist is from the U.K., I'm not sure I can agree with him. But I am not an art historian nor do I know where he got his information so I cannot refute his claim. 

However, I think that art, being an outgrowth of a country's or nation's political, spiritual, and moral state more aptly defines its culture.  

Both art and music seem to reflect the moral temperature of a nation. Think about it. In the 1960's and early 1970's there was a lot about "luv". At the time, I was too young to realize what was really going on, but in retrospect, I recall, mostly, the music I heard on the radio. It was about loving your fellow man. The Vietnam War was in progress. 

It was also about that time that Madalyn Murray O'Hair waged a was against the Bible being read in schools and won. And co-ed dorms were on the rise. Please don't misinterpret my intention here. These and many other factors were influential in generating the country's moral climate. 

That being said, art, and the arts, seem to be a reflection of our culture and its values. 

So what does that say about contemporary art?

Everyone has their opinion. But in light of the violence, disregard for human life, brashness, rudeness, greed, immorality, selfishness and a host of other negative attitudes this country has adopted, much of what is called contemporary art reflects just that. Being immersed in such chaos, in my opinion, inhibits the ability to see the beauty in traditional art or art that conveys meaning. 

As I mentioned earlier in this blog, I think it's also a case of repetitive promotion in the media and elsewhere that ultimately becomes so commonplace, we don't realize we have been dulled into acceptance. 

Will there ever be a shift in the art world that so strongly endorses contemporary art? Ecclesiastes says it well: 'To everything there is a season.' And at present, contemporary art has its day.

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