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JA7. Standards of Taste and Style

Statement

The Royal Academy in France (as well as its counterpart in Great Britain) essentially set the standards of taste and style in art from the mid-1600s through the 1800s.

  • Think about who or what sets artistic styles and tastes today.
  • Are there a select few authorities or institutions whose opinions are respected? Or, is art more democratically produced?

Answer

Contemporary art is the art produced today during our lifetime, exactly from the 1970s till the present; it is different from the modern art produced from the 1860s to the 1970s (Heckmann, 2022). “Contemporary art is often abstract, experimental, and process-based. It also tends to make use of new media such as photography, video, and computer-generated imagery. Contemporary artists often seek to challenge traditional values and conventions, and their work can be provocative and controversial” (Marshall, 2022).

Contemporary art embraces globalism and the decentralized nature of the internet, where the audience is no longer limited to a geographical location or a specific taste; the artist can express their ideas and the right audience will find them. The rise of social media platforms and their ability to monetize art also plays a crucial role in allowing artists to support themselves; although what is considered “good” art is subjective; that is, if we should consider influencer(s) and comedians as artists.

The main characteristics of modern art are freedom of expression, closer to reality, and touching the hearts of the audience through unconventional methods, there is no single institution or authority that sets the standards except the audience itself. The audience is the ultimate judge, and usually, good art stays and bad art fades away. Social media art, street graffiti, advertising, filming, music, and conventional exhibition-based art are just examples of the vast range of contemporary art.

Educational institutions, museums, and galleries may still have a say on what is considered good art by presenting specific artists or artworks to the public, but the vast audience on the internet outweighs the influence of these institutions. The internet has democratized the art world, allowing artists to reach a global audience and receive feedback from a diverse range of people. The art world is more inclusive and diverse than ever before, with artists from different backgrounds and cultures creating work that challenges traditional values and conventions.

Although democratized, the taste of the audience can be predicted; the more aligned the art with the civil values of the modern world, diversity, and inclusivity, the more likely it is to be appreciated. This drove the focus of the artists to the social issues and injustices of the world is also a significant aspect of contemporary art; for example, the Black Lives Matter movement and the #MeToo movement have inspired many artists to create work that addresses these issues. Your art probably will get rejected if it supports a government, dictatorship, or any controversial topic.

To conclude, contemporary art is more democratic and inclusive than ever before, it challenges traditional values and conventions, and embraces globalism and the decentralized nature of the internet. The audience is the ultimate judge of what is considered good art, and no single institution or authority sets the standards of taste and style in contemporary art. While artists seem to have ultimate freedom, they still need to align their work with the civil values of the modern world and avoid controversial topics if they want success.

References

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