TheVirtualInstructor Blog

Is there a such thing as Bad Art?

This question often leads to heated debates among artists and critics alike.  I have seen what I consider to be bad art.  I have made what I consider to be bad art. But because I may think it is bad art, does that mean it really is bad art?  Is that old statement true, “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder”?  Then the next question would be, does good art have to be beautiful?

I have students often tell me that art is whatever you want it to be.  I totally disagree with this statement.  My definition of art is “anything that visually conveys a concept, idea, or message with skill”.   Notice the “with skill” in that sentence.  Skill needs to be present in order for it to be considered art.  This of course is my opinion.  (I’m sure you have your own.)  I think the confusion of whether art is good or bad often originates from where the skill is in the artwork.  Many people unfortunately don’t know where to look for the skill.  They may look at an abstract painting of say, an apple, and comment “That doesn’t look like an apple”.  Well, it’s not supposed to look like an apple.  The skill in the painting is not in the representational nature of the painting.  Instead, it is in how the artist choose to abstract the apple.  How the formal qualities of the artwork are handled.  How the elements and principles of art work together to make an aesthetic experience for the viewer.  Now if the artist has totally failed in the formal qualities of the painting and has not created an aesthetic experience as was intended, then we may label that artwork as bad.

Many artists choose not to create aesthetic works of art.  Their intent is elsewhere.  Perhaps the intent is to challenge the notion of art itself.  As in the case of Marcel Duchamp.  If we consider his intent to  challenge the nature of art, I would have to say that Marcel Duchamp was successful.  Does that mean that “Fountain” was good art?  I don’t know.  If the skill was to challenge and make the art world think, then it would have to be considered good art.

Evaluating art can be tricky business, but doesn’t have to be.  When you understand the intent of the artist, then you can decide if the art is good or bad.  I would challenge you to step outside of your prejudices, and evaluate art by evaluating the artist’s intent.  Where is the skill?

Remember, you don’t have to like the art in order to decide it is good.

Interesting enough there is a gallery that is devoted to “bad art”.  MOBA has some truly horrendous works of art.  Give them a visit and try to find the skill.  Is it present, or is this truly a collection of bad art?

When we observe art, our minds go through a process. This process naturally translates into the steps of art criticism. Following these steps will help us evaluate art effectively.
It is important for us to be able to evaluate art. If we are artists, we must recognize what is good and what is bad, so that we may become more successful at our craft. If we are patrons, we must be able to discern success from failure as well. If we are teachers, we must teach our students the mental process that people naturally go through when they look at and take in a work of art. This way our students are better equipped to create successful artwork on their own, and understand why and how their artworks are digested.
When I teach the steps of art criticism to my students, I have them say this word-”DAIJ”. Yes, I know-”DAIJ” is not a word. I am very ridiculous about it. I say silly sentences like, “Have you guys played any DAIJ ball this summer?” The students may think that I’m crazy, but they remember that word-”DAIJ”. DAIJ stands for the steps of art criticism.

D=Description. The first step in art criticism is description. When we look at a work of art, our minds naturally take notice of the general information that is present. For example, if we take The Mona Lisa, we notice, “Hey, this is a painting of a woman.” When critiquing, start here with a simple description of what is seen in the artwork.

A=Analysis. Analysis refers to how we see the elements and principles of art. In this step, our minds take in the lines, values, and colors of the artwork. We also may take notice of the balance, proportion, rhythm, and unity found within the work. In a critique, students should point out what is happening with these specific elements and principles. Many times, the formal qualities of the artwork are what makes the art successful. Students should understand how these qualities work and what makes them successful in artwork. They should also be able to discern when these formal qualities are unsuccessful as well.

I=Interpretation. Often times, students will automatically skip to this step. We look for meaning in everything, so this is natural. In this step, we explore the meaning of the artwork. What is the artist trying to communicate to us? There are no wrong responses here.

J=Judgment. The last step in art criticism is judgment. Is this work of art successful? It is important if we are teaching students, to guide them in this step. Remind students that the work of art may not be their favorite, but it may still be successful. This way, we teach students to appreciate good art, even if we personally do not like it.
Understanding the steps to art criticism and implementing them in a structured way in critique, will help you create better artwork.