#i also think those abstract expressionist artists that everyone loves to hate on matter btw | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

ilovedthestars · 8 months ago

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here's the thing. yes, some pieces of art are "better" than others. there are many criteria you can measure that with--technical skill, creativity, clarity, conceptual depth, successful execution of the artist's intentions, etc., and i do think it's useful to clarify which ones you're using as a measuring stick. but like, of course you can evaluate art. of course you can be critical (in the "art critic" sense) of art. (among other things, that's one of the most important ways to get better at making art yourself.)

however. when it comes down to evaluating what gets to count as art. what art even gets to have a seat at the table. i will go to bat for the thing that isn't as "good" every single time.

you can say you think a piece of art is bad. you can say you think it lacked technical skill, or clarity, or conceptual depth, and you consider those important elements of a successful work. i might even agree with you. but if you think that means it doesn't matter, someone is going to die on this hill and it isn't going to be me

#this is not apropos of anything #or like directed at anyone in particular #just to be clear #i just had a Thought that triggered something in my art student brain and made this click #because i am being trained how to critique and evaluate art. i know how to objectively and subjectively judge whether something is 'good'#('good' in scare quotes bc that is such a vague metric. i tend to use 'successful' more often)#but the second someone calls something 'bad art' or 'not even art' i will be ready to back it up instantly #and i realized that it boils down to acting like something doesn't matter because it has failed to meet a certain standard #i think all art matters. i think that doodle of a cat you drew in the corner of your math notebook matters #i think that poem you wrote when you were in second grade matters #i think that song you made up and recorded on a voice memo and then cringed when you listened to it later matters #i also think those abstract expressionist artists that everyone loves to hate on matter btw #their art doesn't speak to me that strongly but that doesn't mean it didn't have anything to say #everyone has something to say. and you can have opinions about what they said or how they said it #but you don't get to tell them to stop talking #that includes when that someone is yourself btw #anyway #this has been my monthly-or-so evening ramble #i've been overdue for one honestly #stars has thoughts

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