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Why non-artists don't understand art?

category: general [glöplog]
I wonder why non-artists don't understand what it takes to produce art and often don't respect artists.

For example, I recently showed www.tascha.ch to some people not related to the demoscene and asked them: "Are you able to create something like this?" Nobody said they were, but they said things that showed that they did not consider Tascha's art anything special. For example, they said that her pictures are "cheesy" and that a lot of people are drawing things like this (and also that a lot of people are programming, which means that demos aren't anything special, etc.).

I really feel irritated. I myself have an inferiority complex when seeing ingenious artwork such as Tascha's because I know very well that I am not able to draw anything remotely close to the quality of her pictures. Why don't others feel the same?
added on the 2009-05-01 23:59:26 by Adok Adok
Dunno, but looking at that site, I found the pictures impressive but definitely cheesy. Could I do that? No, or at least not without tons of training + practice. Would I want to? No, but I'd love to paint something interesting that well :)

I think really it's mostly taste.. if you like fantasy art, it's probably awesome. If not, it's just a bunch of well made but cheesy pics.

And btw, I suspect programmed art (and generally stuff involving programming + maths) is less popular than fantasy art, which is why the scene isn't hugely popular...
added on the 2009-05-02 02:18:41 by psonice psonice
These people who say that it's cheesy / "nothing special": do they actually dislike her work, or is it just that it doesn't evoke any strong emotional response in them?

I ask this because maybe it's not an issue with the non-artists' opinions... it's about the view held by a certain section of the art community, that art is only good art if it evokes strong emotions. Which is bullshit - it's the reason that pickled sharks and dirty beds win awards and critical acclaim while this stuff goes ignored.

I've taken a look at her work, and as a non-artist, I reckon it's technically good, and I completely respect the talent that's involved in creating it. Cheesy? Maybe. Does that stop me from liking it? No. What's wrong with art just being "nice" sometimes?
added on the 2009-05-02 03:01:56 by gasman gasman
besides, it can still be art even if others are able to replicate it / "create something like this".

so, what is art ? :)
added on the 2009-05-02 03:02:16 by xyz xyz
if you ask me there's too much mistique and reverence about 'art' and being an 'artist', it's a choice
For me Art is the way to be differenciated from other way of lifeforms,
since photography appeared some efforts was necessary to be called 'art' if photo-realistic,
but now, to be an artist you need to fight versus the computer too.

Before it was human vs animals now its human vs animals & computers .
So well, to be an artist is not a choice, it's an interest that need mind involving a lot..
and much more than before ...

so, what is cheesy ?

added on the 2009-05-02 05:53:08 by 24 24
Quote:
"Ever since then I have been working for all different clients, painting illustrations for trading card games, game box covers, book covers, posters or concept art for games and movies."

What part of her work don't people understand? As i truly believe there's not much below the surface... Think your problem is more about appreciation.

(Beyond this.. Strictly taken, she's an illustrator/visualiser in my book.. Ofcourse she creates 'artwork', but for very applied purposes. Concept art for games != Conceptual art. Bottom line here would be 'what is art' but i didn't want to take it that far.)
added on the 2009-05-02 08:45:26 by Sander Sander
those pictures are cheesy. and yeah, i'd also count her as illustrator not as an artist.


but well, i do think that in contemporary art it is a problem that most of the works are made so that they require way too much of understanding of the art history for understanding the pieces. which makes it so that quite a lot of works can only be understood if you're an artist/art historian or have been studying the subject a lot for some other reason.

with her work i think it's just a matter of whether you like cheesy fantasy illustrations or not.
added on the 2009-05-02 09:29:32 by nosfe nosfe
What Nosfe said.
added on the 2009-05-02 09:52:51 by Pegan Pegan
Quote:
“Only on condition of a radical widening of definitions will it be possible for art and activities related to art [to] provide evidence that art is now the only evolutionary-revolutionary power. Only art is capable of dismantling the repressive effects of a senile social system that continues to totter along the deathline: to dismantle in order to build ‘A SOCIAL ORGANISM AS A WORK OF ART’… EVERY HUMAN BEING IS AN ARTIST who – from his state of freedom – the position of freedom that he experiences at first-hand – learns to determine the other positions of the TOTAL ART WORK OF THE FUTURE SOCIAL ORDER.”

btw, the thread topic is misleading..
added on the 2009-05-02 10:11:47 by gentleman gentleman
beuys rules.
added on the 2009-05-02 10:32:07 by nosfe nosfe
i'd say that only mediocre artists are popular when they're alive ;)
history will not forget the true talents, even if no one understands them yet :)
added on the 2009-05-02 11:37:15 by nystep nystep
I think it's very clear that Tascha's paintings aren't very evocative. As an artist I'm mightily impressed by the skill, but that's about it. Fantasy lady in generic pose? "Ok."

On the other hand at least it's not this: ;)

BB Image
added on the 2009-05-02 12:31:21 by doomdoom doomdoom
Why doesn't Okkie understand Sufjan Stevens :((((
doom: that's a great abstract painting
added on the 2009-05-02 12:38:40 by noby noby
i prefer abstract paintings over cheesy paintings on any day.
added on the 2009-05-02 12:53:16 by nosfe nosfe
discussion about abstract music in 10... 9... 8...
added on the 2009-05-02 13:01:08 by Gargaj Gargaj
THE SOUNDTRACK OF CHIMERA IS ART!
THE SOUNDTRACK OF CHIMERA IS FART!
added on the 2009-05-02 13:20:27 by Tomoya Tomoya
FART CAN BE ART IN SOME ELITE ART PLACES!
nosfe: which art piece need a historical approach to be understood ?
added on the 2009-05-02 13:34:02 by 24 24
why *generalisation*? Followed by a personal experience as argumentation. Excellent going there sherlock, i demand your mensa resignation on my desk yesterday!
doom, pff, THIS is real art:

BB Image

(MOAR)
added on the 2009-05-02 13:46:51 by tomaes tomaes
to be honest I think it is, and it is a beautiful art.
added on the 2009-05-02 13:53:16 by decipher decipher
Yeah, you have to force yourself, or at least pretend, to "get it". And don't under any circumstances suggest that the modern art community is little more than a self-congratulatory bunch of hacks. You're probably the only one who thinks the emperor is naked. Best just play along, right?

ZOMG flamebait! My work here is done! 8)
added on the 2009-05-02 14:38:02 by doomdoom doomdoom

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