When market began to kill art? Part 1.
First, there are a few specific facts about the history of art, especially in the 20th century.
There is a famous Christie's auction. The work of Andy Warhol has been sold there for a huge amount. Namely for $ 12 million. Andy Warhol is the famous American artist, the creator of aesthetic direction of pop art.
This picture is called «Campbell's Soup Cans»
Another fact.
About 15 years ago famous English artist Damien Hirst bought the Australian shark caught dead. He sent it to London, put it into a glass cube in formaldehyde and called it very difficult «The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living". The name is the most important thing in such works.
«The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living, 1991"
In 2004 it was purchased by famous collector of Modern Art Charles Saatchi for $ 12 million. As soon as the artist sold it, he became as famous as Kandinsky, Malevich and Jasper Johns.
It’s difficult to argue with one American critic Robert Hughes who said:
It repeatedly become rotten, the artist had to change the sharks, but the title remains the same, "the impossibility of death." It is also a work of modern art.
Several years ago, 600 critics met to award the prize of the great British artist Turner to the best work of the 20th century. Most critics have chosen the work of Marcel Duchamp, «Fountain».
Marcel Duchamp, «Fountain»
It was an ordinary porcelain pisuar. It was put on exhibition in 1919, and became the most outstanding work, which allegedly influenced on the development of the whole European art. Here, it is difficult to argue. It really affected.
What are these facts about?
About the development, progress or about the decline?
In the early 20th century German philosopher Oswald Spengler wrote a book called «The decline of the West». The work, which states that European culture has to come to an end.
"The day will come when no longer exist the last portrait of Rembrandt, and the last beat of Mozart's music. Though painted by Rembrandt canvas and sheet music notation may remain, but will disappear the most important - the last eye that understands what he sees and the last ear that wants to hear this music. " Oswald Spengler
Now, many people who understand art inclined to think that the art is in a state of decay.
When did it start? What happened to the world art? When did it happen?
The answers to all these questions need researchers which I´ll try to work out in nearest time and present you in my next article here.
Thank you for being enthusiastic about art.
Through out history people have decried art is dead. While there is certainly a lot that I don't appreciate I do feel that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. There is still a lot of great stuff that is being done. I am surprised that you did not mention people like Mapplethorpe. There were many who asked how a cross dipped in urine could be art.
It does amaze me what people will pay for and what they won't.
Thank you for comment, @iamwne and your interest to the art. I didnt mentioned Mapplethorpe and "artists" similar to him for the same reason as I didnt write about great fraud with "Sunset over the Adriatic", wrote by
nonexistent Boronali. The reason is in the aim of this article. It is to find an answer when the world started to appreciate ...em...something other than real art. So my first part is about modern tendency in general. But the second will be about reasons and history.
Promoting as a fact that the creator of Pop Art is Andy Warhol it's misleading, most recognizable by the masses maybe, but not the creator for whatever the means.
Initiators of Pop Art for America was Jasper Johns and Robert Rauschenberg.
The majority will have a visual memory of their work few remember their names. Andy Warhol followed the movement later.