Paintings & Prejudices
by emily hardie
A straight, white line runs down the middle of a blue canvas. In 2013, Barnett Newman sold this piece of abstract art for $43.84 million. Many would argue that Onement VI looks like something they could have made themselves. Artists around the world have sold numerous single-coloured canvases for millions of dollars, yet some claim that the creations should not be considered “genuine” art. However, when it comes to judging artwork, there is no correct process for critiquing the pieces.
We have all heard the aphorism, “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.” As cliche as that phrase may be, art is subjective, though only to a certain extent. An alternative approach to judging art is looking beyond the physical piece and searching for the artist’s message. French philosopher Victor Cousin believed that good art is to be made with only one intention: to create art. If the artist has truly produced a piece for the sake of creating art, then any critique beyond that point is subjective.
As we continue to dig into the philosophical side of this argument, many unanswerable questions arise. If beauty is subjective, then how are some pieces of art more famous than other pieces? Do we look for art to counterbalance the bad in our world? Is art supposed to be reflective of society? Without humans to examine a piece, can a piece of art be beautiful on its own? From childhood, we are surrounded by examples of famous works of art like the Mona Lisa, Monet’s Water Lilies, and Van Gogh’s self-portraits. However, do we simply think the Mona Lisa is beautiful because we are told so? The correlation between good and famous works of art is strong yet is not principally reliable in certain circumstances. In a sense, the economic market devalues artwork. By adding a price tag to a work of art, we are comparing it on a scale that is not reflective of the piece as its value depends on who is connecting with it.
Although I have only covered one medium, there are other forms of art that follow a similar philosophical pattern. In the end, the viewer’s past experiences, relationships, and memories shape how each individual connects to each individual piece. Every viewer takes away something different from a work of art. Next time you go to a museum and see a painting, try to look past its economic value and popularity. Instead, examine the techniques and feelings of the artist. Only then, will its value be of any importance. Ultimately, art is a gift to humankind, a language understood through experience that we should remain to appreciate.
“There is no correct process for critiquing [artwork].” —Emily Hardie
Photo by Natalie Cao