Skepticism About Contemporary Art

By: Paige C. ‘27

People define contemporary as any art created from the 1970s to the present, yet the term “contemporary art” is often used more specifically to describe a group characterized by simplistic or minimalist compositions. In these pieces, artists hide the meaning deep within the work so the pieces can have many different interpretations from other artists. However, non-artists often comment on the art saying, “It's a joke,” as Bryn Mawr student, Raneem Eberlein, put it. She was referring to the piece, Comedian, by Maurizio Cattelan, which features a real banana duck-taped to a white background. The online world has popularized this work due to the nature of the simple materials and lack of skill needed to create it. The general online consensus is that this piece is a mockery to other artists not only due to the lack of skill required to create it but also because of the convoluted meaning. Critics debate Cattelan’s intention for the piece, with some saying that it is a criticism of the absurdity of the art world, an attempt to make art more accessible, a jab at the ignorance of the rich, or even an attempt to expose money laundering in the art business. Comedian is a thought-provoking artwork that spiked debate in and outside of the art community. 

These debates are not always centered on the meaning of the piece, but often encompass contemporary art as a whole, questioning the value of art. Most non-artists seem to share similar opinions that much of contemporary art is not as valuable or meaningful as critics say. In response to Maurizio Cattelan’s piece, Bryn Mawr student Laila Joseph commented on the value of the work saying, “It has no meaning, it has no purpose, so it is useless.” Her response embodies the popular opinion that minimalist contemporary art usually receives. One reason people commonly hold this opinion is because art education is not universal and therefore, the art world has largely become elitist. Art institutions are mostly private, so those already formally educated in the arts are the ones who utilize them, but the average individual will never get access to or seek out proper art education. This creates a large gap between ordinary people who do not know how to find meaning in simple pieces of art and educated art consumers who popularize pieces without explaining the value of such. People, even intermediate-level artists like Domna Kevrekdis, think, “For something to be considered art, it needs to show skill,” which is an opinion of its own, but still demonstrates the commonly held concept of what art is exactly. While everyone defines art in their way, a shared factor usually is that it is something you have to work for. This requirement could be met, as Domna describes, with the skillfulness of the piece or by the time and concept behind the artwork, as defined by others. 

An art student at Bryn Mawr, Molly McLoughlin, contrasts Domna’s opinion saying, “Art is not purely based on skill,” and that the true purpose of art is not the skill required to make it but, “It’s that they [the artist] had an original thought and carried it out.” She argues that the creativity and intention behind a piece of art are the most important. The varying levels of knowledge can explain the differences in opinions about contemporary art. Understanding the meaning and value of contemporary art is dependent on the consumer’s perception and education of the subject; this creates a majority that criticizes the same work that others praise.