What makes something great art – Part 1

Before I begin, I will offer an early apology. I am a visual artist, using words, images, objects and sometimes simply ideas to create my works. I am therefore going to take full advantage of this title in a selfish bid to discuss something that fascinates and frustrates me on a day to day basis. The first question, to which there is no real answer, is ‘what is art?’ The second question that then follows naturally is ‘what is GOOD art?’

As a contemporary artist I have spent many years studying art history in order to gain a full understanding of how art has reached the place in which it now stands. From the beginning of the twentieth century art took a leap into the unknown. Monet began to produce work that was scoffed at by art critics and the ‘educated’ as his brush strokes became more and more visible and the scene staring back from at the onlooker from the canvas became steadily more abstracted. Incomprehensible to many, was this a demise for the great Monet – what I mean to say is, was his art no longer great?

The answer is, of course, ‘no’. He had started what was to become a rapid shift in how the world looked at a painting. Photography was progressing swiftly and what was the point in attempting to replicate the camera when stood at the easel? The artist had so many more tools and the paints were so much more versatile than the photographer and his prints. Monet had shown that it was possible not to hide the fact that a finished work was made up of strokes of paint, but to celebrate it.

Moving through the twentieth century it is impossible not to have heard of Picasso and Braque, founders of Cubism. Again, the art world stood by mocking yet the artists continued to push the boundaries – if it were possible to abstract color and form, then why not dimension and space? Crude and abstracted beyond what was recognizable, this was surely two great painters gone mad?

With hindsight, the answer once again is ‘no’. Pushing each other to test boundaries, the art being produced was not only great, but revolutionary.

The floodgates were opened and, enjoying the new freedom of expression, artists began to skillfully sculpt art into a form that we recognize today. A form in which educated, opinionated individuals can force us to think, to debate, to love or to detest using the same tools that have been used for centuries. The public will continue to mock, critics will continue to publish phrases that poke fun at the artist and wind up the audiences. The few will understand and smile at great contemporary works of art, whilst the rest will look back in thirty years and reminisce in their hindsight about how they now see the greatness.

Returning to the first of our two important questions, what is art? We are no closer to the answer and, I believe, never will be. However, I suppose the best I can do is to say that anything produced for its own sake or with the aim of creating a reaction or provoking thought could be considered art. Whether it be a dead shark in formaldahide or a print of Campbell’s soup tins, the intentions are always to question opinions or to create emotions.

Secondly, what makes any of these things great art? A question to which there is again no real answer, and if there were the art world would crumble in a new found impotence. The greats, however, will continue to be those that push boundaries or who demonstrate a masterful ability to use already existing techniques to create exciting new work.

Art can be offensive, beautiful, hilarious and sad. It can help us to think, to remember or to forget. If one artwork can have such an impact on you, even if it is only you that feels it, then it surely is great art.