21st March 2022
The way in which we judge art is always changing and it will always vary from person to person depending on their taste, but how do we decide what gets hung in galleries and what pieces can sell for millions in an auction? Grayson Perry’s Reith Lecture ‘Democracy has bad taste’ (2013) explores these ideas supported by his own experience as a successful contemporary artist. Perry points to the tensions between popularity and quality in the art world.
Categories in which we can judge art
Although the taste in art differs in each individual, there are characteristics which ‘good art’ usually has.
Aesthetic sophistication is a criteria which most appreciated pieces of art will fall under and as mentioned by Perry, symmetry, colour and composition are all aspects which can make a piece of work aesthetically pleasing which will naturally make it popular and therefore ‘good’. In the mid 1990’s, two Russian artists named Komar and Melamid decided to see if they could create the perfect painting by surveying audiences to find out their preferences when it came to art. The outcome of their research demonstrated what the majority of people found beautiful which was a fairly unexciting landscape which resembled many old classics which can be found in hundreds of galleries around the world.
Komar and Melamid America’s Most Wanted Painting, 1993
(Komar and Melamid, America's Most Wanted Painting, 1993)
Despite the aesthetics of a piece playing a huge role in it being classed as ‘good’ art, it cannot always be used. We already know that art does not need to comply with conventional standards of beauty to gain recognition, and as it is a constructive concept, the beliefs of what is beautiful or not can sit on either end of a very large spectrum. For example; Many will think of Damien Hirst and words such as cruel, disgusting and inhumane might come to mind, whereas there will be people who believe his work to be beautiful.
Critics, authors and philosophers have studied the relationship between popularity and quality for years, does recognition from audiences equal success? Perry discussed the importance of curators when it came to the popularity of your work, he explained how it needed to be chosen by the right type of people, the ‘popes of the art world’, in order for it to seen by enough people – This validation could equal success to many artists if their goal was to become famous.
Another numerical way to judge ‘good’ art would be its financial value; Cold hard cash will always be used as a measure of success and it plays a huge role in the art world. It will often correlate with the popularity of a piece e.g. The Mona Lisa being the most visited painting, is also one of the paintings with highest financial value.
QUESTIONS
Are good taste and popularity mutually exclusive?
Is bad art going to become really popular, probably not. Both good and bad art can be popular depending on the audience demographic, purpose, price, where and who made the art. Art can be intellectually stretching, significant, moving and fun at the same time. Popularity threatens an important part of arts appeal - its exclusivity. How much is a piece worth, the auction price bought for cold hard cash. and the visitor figures - how many people go to the exhibition? But also how many people go to an exhibition and truly absorb the meaning of the art?
Where did you get your sense of taste from?
The environment you were born into, growing up and what you are surrounded by. Your social community, parents, family and friends. Where you visit, watch and what interests you all has a part to play in where you get your sense of taste from. Comes from the desire to fullfill your sensory needs. art comes in differnt forms, textures, mediums.
We ask children whats your favourite colour suggesting that children must choose a colour. When looking at a piece of art if it doesn't have the favourite colour can you like it? Why are my eyes drawn to certain paintings?
Art will always be sold in the art houses and at the auctions but art belongs to the people even more so because of the internet, street, cafes, books, magazines, art galleries. Most powerful people own all the art but art doesn't have a monetary value. Van Gough never sold many artworks in his life time but he had an appreciation and sensory need for colour. Now his paintings are worth millions.
How might your sense of taste impact your art?
Sense of taste comes from the class structures you were born into either high , middle or lower. Sense of taste can depend on your culture. In New Zealand the Maoris are the true aristocracy. Its their land, art and culture that is appreciated not the westernisation of new Zealand from the British empire. Maori art has been restored to promanance because of admissions of guilt from history.
Lower class art - Street art - graffiti tagging gangs - upper classes jumped on band wagon as they could make money out of it.
Upper Classes with their country houses would display pictures of demonstrating their wealth and liniage eg- horses, portraits of previous land owners and their wives. These people think and know they are better than the lower classes.
Lower and working classes - didn't own art so would see art in the pubs, streets , galleries
'Sense of taste' is dictated by your monetary value.
Sense of taste changes through time especially with fashion and music.