#art, Let’s Chat About the «Bad» Artists

AND LET US NOW TALK ABOUT «BAD» ARTISTS
(in my opinion)

This is simply my subjective opinion, although I will support it with some facts as I have been able to discover them.

I have to start with Jeff Koons. To me he is not an artist, but a businessman that has capitalised on thinking himself an artist and creating works that, well, you know them, and if you don’t, you will have to look them up because they are too hideous to be placed in this post. The official data on him from “experts” is: Koons is criticized for being more of a brand than an artist, outsourcing most of his work to assistants. Well the experts here are right, although they could have said more.

Moving right along we have Damien Hirst, and the experts say: Some see his work (like the diamond-encrusted skull or preserved animals) as shock value over substance. Here is another artist that employs lots of assistants to do his work. With these experts I do agree.

Damien Hirst created a series of what he called “Spot Paintings” (actually it was done by his assistants, mostly) and then British Airways budget arm Go used a design of multiple coloured spots to the tagline “Go, the new low-cost airline from British Airways.” (The Independent). Hirst stated that the advertisement “bears a striking resemblance” to his own “spot paintings” series. (The Independent). He actually tried to sue the airline but the case never progressed. I mean, hasn’t he ever seen the flamenco dresses of the women at Sevilla’s April Fair? Good grief!

Then we have Thomas Kinkade, and what do the art experts say: Kinkade is hugely popular for his glowing cottage paintings, but widely dismissed by critics as overly sentimental “mall art.” And about this Californian I’ve nothing to say except that he was a trained and technically sound artist but his style and his art is not something I spend much time on. And this is another case in which I agree with the “experts.”

Some other things that art history talks about are artists that are famous but are, or were, “bad” people. Let’s check out these three that can be thought of as being ethically or personally controversial:

• Caravaggio – literally murdered someone.
• Wagner – (in music) was notoriously anti-Semitic.
• Picasso – was brilliant but also famously cruel to women. (although none of the supposed “victims” ever complained and he supported them all generously)

Of course the «list» does not stop there, but this post does, so look for part 2 coming soon.

CHEERS