Whenever I visit a museum or gallery, I jokingly make snide comments about the abstract expressionist art, the ones that look like some paint cans accidentally got knocked over onto a canvass, or a 3 year old went to town on a lump of clay. “I could’ve made that,” I say ironically to my friends.
But the fact is, I didn’t make that. Someone else did. He did it first and he did it better. I’m not an expert on art by any means, but I have to recognize the original genius of the first pioneers to step up and say that art is more than perfectly capturing a sunset or a bowl of fruit or a naked chubby woman. Art is an expression of creativity, and to look at a painting dismissively because “I could have done that” completely misses the point. Some art may be more technically impressive than others, but that does not mean it is more creative or expressive.
But the fact is, I didn’t make that. Someone else did. He did it first and he did it better. I’m not an expert on art by any means, but I have to recognize the original genius of the first pioneers to step up and say that art is more than perfectly capturing a sunset or a bowl of fruit or a naked chubby woman. Art is an expression of creativity, and to look at a painting dismissively because “I could have done that” completely misses the point. Some art may be more technically impressive than others, but that does not mean it is more creative or expressive.