As the semester winds down for this class, all the ideas and concepts of modern art come to my mind. Certain types of art are more prominent on my mind than others. I thought some of the concepts we learned in the class were very interesting such as how art museums have become more like "stores" because visitors often shop around at the art and pick out a favorite; where as upscale department stores have becomes more like museums because people tend to look at items for show and everything is neatly and properly placed. I never thought about it but this concept is very true and I hope for the field of art this idea becomes vice versa one day.
We did mention him briefly but one artist that is very well know whom I have posters of is Andy Warhol. Many art critics, like Robert Hughes, have criticized Andy Warhol. The reason why is still unclear to me but I guess it is rather an opinion. In terms of skill and originality Andy Warhol is not known for that. I think Andy Warhol is recognized more as show artist. His works can be found anywhere from art galleries, posters, to beach bags and t-shirts. I have several Andy Warhol posters in my room and I think they're beautiful for show and can really bring brightness, happiness, and colorfulness into a room or item. In terms of real skill, he may not have that and the fact that Andy Warhol is commercialized may be a reason why his works are not well like by art critics.
The "Mona Lisa Curse" clip is one topic that captured my attention greatly this semester. I can tell that Robert Hughes is a very knowledgeable and well respected art critic. As most people say, I think he makes some very good points about artwork. Especially in the commercialization and economic aspect of art where it is all about money rather than appreciating the work. However I do think Robert Hughes can very overly critical at times. The impression I got from the clip was that Robert Hughes wasn't open to much contemporary art, which is what might make him very critical.At first I wasn't a fan of many contemporary artworks, and for the eye I still am not. Yet, after taking this course and seeing how I view things I have all respect for contemporary art. Just because something may be unusual looking doesn't mean that it isn't "good art." I'll agree that some contemporary art can be extreme but for the most part it should have its respect. Art today seems to be drastically different from art back in historic times. Artists in historic times tend to use paint, make pottery, sculpture, architecture, etc. Today you find artists using just about anything from plastic to preserved animals. I think this is most likely due to the drastic change we have in technology today and we have access to more types of resources. Other art critics may not think this but to me contemporary art is a sign of change. In this century change is constant happening from science, technology, and ways of thinking. I feel Robert Hughes may have his mindset in more traditional artwork such as painting and drawing. As a person for change, I believe much contemporary artwork, regardless if I find it an eye-sore or "weird", has its place in the art world; the idea that contemporary artwork to me represents change and new ideas gives it great respect.
