What do you think is the most important function of art to day? Should it be a spectacle, a sensory experience, pleasing to the eye, push boundaries, widen peoples horizons or something else al together?
There is something dubious about the question above because it could potentially create a divide and be broken down to another question: What is more important and has more value, kitsch or art? In addition the moment you try to answer these questions you might find your self struggling to define the words art and kitsch which is a big can of worms where distinctions are blurred beyond belief, but let us not be stopped by that.
Lets agree that kitsch is art, but to distinguish the two lets put “conceptual” in front of art.
Some “conceptual” art tries to see another perspective, challenge boundaries and functions as a riddle to be solved. There are different strategies artists employ to create a riddle, referencing old masters and theory is popular, however this is not very inclusive, a more friendly approach is work that inspires the viewer to imagine a extended story or stimulates a emotional reaction, however that may be seen as “kitsch” by some.
Kitsch is often aesthetically pleasing and stimulates a immediate understanding or response. It is likely that the artist demonstrates extrodenery talent and technical skill, which becomes the focus point of our admiration. Such work is very inclusive.
To say that one is better than the other leads to a pising contest so lets make things easier and get rid of the words important and value. Instead we should change the question to:
Who needs the most support, kitsch or conceptual art?
Kitsch inherently supports itself by being inclusive “Conceptual” art on the other hand does not and often pushes the general public away, hence we the public have to make a conscious effort to support it. The big question is why should we bother?
I think the general public are square, meaning that they are happy with a 9 to 5 job, kitsch art and a packet holiday, there is nothing wrong with this, however if everyone takes on this roll humanity will stagnate, we need people, that tries to see another perspective and challenge boundaries because these are forces that push humanity forward and help us become more than we can imagine. Secondly we live in a world that seems to be more and more driven by the market, such a system automatically puts a high value on work such as kitsch for its wide appeal. Conceptual art is then left to fend for itself needing to find support from the elite who more often than not only look at art as an investment. It must be said that many artists find money and opportunities from private and public grants.
What can we the public do if we want to support art but can not afford it? We can go to exhibitions and not just the Tate Modern, the Saatchi Gallery or fancy private galleries, look out for the small independent places and remember artists do sell some items that are affordable, such as books.
How can we the artists help the general public support us? Many artists think that we do not need the normal man to understand or support us. Before we get carried away lets not forget that there are artists making public art funded by either the government or organisations, however more often than not I find this kind of work saying nothing in the fear of offending. In the UK I can only think of the forth plinth in Trafalgar square as a arena where artists are allowed to be challenging. On the other hand one might say that art for the public is a spectacle with little content. What ever your opinion is about public art, the bottom line is that the public mainly fund it indirectly through tax. I believe we as artists need to take our heads out of our arses and think about new ways of including the general public and getting them to support us without compromising our work. I believe the general public are the key for artists to be able to support them selves and be independent from guiding voices. My attempt has ben to try and create a piece of work where people can become share holders. The project was called PXsnatch.com. As of today it has not proven to be a viable solution, however I am determined to find away for it to work optimality or to discover another strategy.
Leet me make a prediction of the future, I believe we are heading towards a world where people are more locked in their own perspective and we will be held in place by the media who send personally targeted information and entertainment that confirms our views rather than challenges them. Based on this assumption I will now answer the original question, the most important function of art as I see it is to be a counter point to society at large by trying to widen peoples horizon irrelevant if it is considered kitsch or conceptual art and this is why I say we who want to be artists to day have a very important role to fulfil.
What is your opinion?