Is art valuable?

Modern art, by definition, includes artistic work produced from the 1860s to the 1970s. On the other hand, contemporary art is the art of today, produced after the 1970s. 

Today, contemporary art is something that society characteristically deems artistically worthless. The reason? Art is no longer rare. People seek diamonds and pearls because they are “pretty” and “rare.” The same kindergarten principle can be applied to our world today. It’s hard to fathom that once, paintings were commissioned to convey wealth and status. Compare that with today’s digital world: one click can capture any moment. Simply focusing on this fact, it is evident that the privileges of the past have been diluted with an excess of supply. 

My interpretation of contemporary art is that artists today subconsciously wish to return to a sort of rudimentary stage. Whilst grand portraits in some eras (i.e the Renaissance) picture a vision for “more,” the opposite can be seen with more simplistic views in the art today. For instance, the $120,000 art basel banana, more colloquially known as “duct tape banana” - is a splendid example of this transition. I myself used to shout out “I could do that” at any chance that I could to express my distaste for such low-effort, low-outcome pieces. And in fact, I could have. Even more astounding - anyone with basic motor skills can tape a banana to the wall. Eureka! However, Duchampian in nature, the ridiculousness of the whole thing is perhaps what it is all about. The lack of grandeur. The over-simplicity. Horrifyingly unamusing. 

The truth of the fact is that Maurizio Cattelan’s absurdist traits do not tick any boxes that define art as we know it. Yet, the argument made by critics presents a viewpoint that is hard to swallow. Perhaps, the lack of boxes ticked is in itself something worthwhile. In Korean terms, this can be more easily understood as the beauty of the void (여백의 미). 

Such interpretations bring forth a big question: Is art losing its value? The only answer to that question is 'unlikely.’ This is because art has always been integral to our lives. Art is no less important than it was in the 1980s or the 1200s. However, the degree and nature of that importance are simply changing.