optimistic-pepperoni:

thepeacockangel:

thepeacockangel:

I think the fact that a lot of people hate contemporary art has a lot to do with the fact that most people aren’t taught a whole lot about art history. The last movement most people generally like is surrealism (and then generally only the representational painting stuff, never the found object stuff) because I think that’s often stuff responding to the last bit of art history they’re generally familiar with.

Combine with like… bourgeois snobbery and feeling like you’re being laughed at for not being in on the joke, no wonder people are hostile.

Also the context of the R. Mutt urinal makes it fucking hilarious and original and like… is really worth googling.

I feel like most people aren’t told that a lot of art is meant to be funny, like you’re allowed to laugh at it and interact with it. We’re at this weird junction where artists WANT people to interact and enjoy their work but the general impression is that art is serious and to be looked at from a distance and it feels entirely unapproachable unless you’re versed in the basics of art history and theory. As a result most contemporary (or post-contemporary for the pretentious) art looks ridiculous, when it’s intending to be funny and the audience is intent on reading it seriously – one that springs to mind is Martin Creed, with a bit of blu tac stuck on the wall and labelled – which is pretty funny imo (had a laugh with the guy who worked there about it, the kind of interaction I’m 100% sure is supposed to come from the piece) and speakers making silly fart noises intending to break the awkward silence and rooms stuffed full of balloons…if you take it seriously it’s completely pretentious nonsense but if you know that it’s supposed to be fun and silly it’s an entirely difference experience…

Yup!