When you are confronted by the seemingly simplistic, flat, vivid rectangles painted by Mark Rothko, does his signature colour-field technique arouse deep emotional contemplation within you? Or do you question why such fatuous works of art receive overt veneration and extensive rumination from pompous art institutions?
Perhaps the polarity presented here is a touch over exaggerated, but, in my opinion, the cultural perception of Rothko’s most renowned works effectively embodies the age-old dichotomy of meaningless versus pretentious interpretations of art by the public.
Can it be, therefore, that the only people who are able to see value in Rothko’s work, let alone any piece of art, are only those with the privilege to be educated or invested enough to do so? In that case, professionals in the art world must be the sole beneficiaries of exhibitions and collections displayed in art galleries, while the average spectator is denied any opportunity to make artistic or aesthetic judgements.
To me, the pretentiousness woven into the fabric of our perception of the art world is a complete fallacy. Perpetuating the idea that sincere engagement with art is unattainable for the general population undermines the importance that art holds in society.
One of the greatest barriers to accessibility in art is the perceived dependence on theory as necessary for comprehension. How are you possibly meant to interact with a piece of art if you don’t understand the fundamental techniques required to produce it? A remedy for theoretical insufficiency is, of course, education, but even as university applications for creative arts degrees rise, funding for them has dramatically decreased, making it difficult to justify pursuing something inadequately supported. Widespread contempt towards such degrees, that are deemed worthless due to their presumed impracticality, can also deter many, especially those without financial security, from pursuing them. The arts as a result does seem to foster a culture that favours the financially elite, preventing everyone else from receiving a creative education.
It goes without saying that art can be a time-consuming hobby, and the higher-grade materials can be greatly expensive. Even visiting an art gallery costs a few hours of your day and, if time is money, then who can afford to frequently and committedly invest an interest in art? Financial privilege can certainly make it easier to engage in artistic pastimes and pursuing a career in the unstable, unlucrative landscape of art is more comfortable if you have a financial safety net.
The existence of less- and under-privileged artists throughout history is testament to the importance many individuals feel towards the arts. While there remains economic boundaries to pursuing art, whether academically or as an interest, anyone can contribute to the arts in powerfully provocative ways. Love him or hate him, Andy Warhol, who came from a working-class background, unified “highbrow” and “lowbrow” culture in his work, setting in motion the iconic Pop Art movement. Warhol challenged preconceptions that art should be dictated by apparent pretentious and affluent tastes of the art world.
Art has always lent itself to making a statement, whether it be political, psychological or personal. Artists can use their work to feel acknowledged and combat social isolation caused by social marginalisation, for example, or say, a life-altering pandemic. From the unifying activism of renowned artists, like Keith Haring, during the AIDS crisis, to the establishment of modern-day art initiatives, such as “Project UnLonely”, that seek to remedy loneliness, art has long offered anyone and everyone an outlet of expression, despite their financial and educational background or perceived expertise.
Consignment of artistic appreciation to the elite, undermines the collective value it provides to everyone, leading to the perception of earnest engagement as “snobbish” or “pretentious”. To go back to Rothko, it would be less pretentious to sincerely ruminate on his paintings, than to stand smugly before them and refuse to feel anything at all.
“Exposition Mark Rothko” by ActuaLitté is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.