This brings me to the Museum of Bad Art. I recently came across this place online. I was intrigued, given that there is such a broad range of accepted styles. So here is my dilemma ...I love the concept...but to be honest some of there choices for "bad art" are in my humble opinion a bit off. Now I know that the spirit of the Museum is somewhat tongue and cheek but still, lets take a peek.
Okay now I will concede this is bad...not so much for the the painting but for the freaky kid with the blue mum. Now that I think about I find the freakishness to be down right compelling...I'll still give it a bad, but with a plus for creep out factor.
Another bad...but its about time someone painted a clown as a psychopath as opposed to those seemingly benevolent yet serial killer types. Clowns are scary...this person make no bones about it.
Now this is brilliant in my opinion. Simple folksy. I don't get the badness here. Sure its a little phallic...but I think this is quite creative...as far as genitalia go.
This is amazing! I love this piece. The colors are wild, expression is great. And what about that baby-eating kitty. You got to love that.
Here's another beaut...I'm digging the polka dots. I think they are pretty interesting as is the use of color...look at that floor...wow. Not sure about the big head with blue eyes...but check out the girl on the coach...is she in an "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" alien pod. I think so...extra credit for use of alien pods.
Okay that's it for now...if you have a chance to check out the Museum of Bad Art do so. I'm going in person next time I go to Massachusetts. I'll be curious for your responses to the art...good...bad...or freaky.
18 comments:
I agree with you ... I had a quick look ( I'm off to work in a bit) and some stuff shouldn't called bad art ..maybe most of it ... It's hard to qualify art as "bad" for "bad" taste might be someone's else good taste ...
Talking about art, I received your book yesterday... I love it ( love the side's notes !). I'm taiking it today with me at school .. I want to show your work to my students!
taiking ? too early and no coffee ... "taking" that's it!
Someone finally painted a clown the way the world views them....YAY. Interesting web site I think it is hilarious they have a drive thru car wash. Some of the art is definitely interesting. A definite must see next time I am in MA.
XOX
Kristen
i love the baby eating kitty piece, I want that!
Yes, it is odd art. It was very amusing though. I would not say it was bad. It is just "different".
Belinda
I agree - there is something of merit in everyone's art. Even if you cannot find it in the physical piece, something of the person went into it, and heck, they actually MADE something - they put it out there, and that to me is important too. I am always so sad to hear that people always wished they could "be an artist" and don't just make something. Boom - you are an artist. You can still grow and people may not like what you make, but if YOU like it, that is all that matters.
I share your view of the paintings and I absolutely ADORE that stick person. Love it love it. I have always wanted to make some really tall figures. Guess I should go make some! See you at Artfest =)
I do love the fact that people express themselves in such way, even if it is called bad art, who are we to judge?
I'm both a deMeng fan and a Warhol fan. I don't see you as being that conceptually far apart, believe it or not. Your art is usually about worship, and so was his. You made shoe shrines; for Warhol the shoe was the shrine. Obviously, visually it's different, but methodologically not that far off either. He had his favorite visual treatments that he came back to over and over, and, well, you have The Uuszhh....
--Mike Jennings
I think the clowns thing is generational. I don't know what it was (Poltergeist? It? John wayne Gacy? I think Killer Klowns from Outer Space was a symptom rather than a cause) but the hatred/fear of clowns is nearly universal among my friends. However, I've talked to a few people from the previous generation who are mystified by our fear of clowns.
mine was that fantasy island episode where the evil clown doll caused fired. come to think of it, maybe that's where my fear of fires come from as well. hmmm...
just saw the workshop you did (tejae's blog).... amazing stuff... makes me wish i was at home to take the workshop!
(i am a texas girl living in N. ireland.)
Great post and discussion! Responding to art is a subjective process, yet there seems to be an underlying assumtion that it is measurable.
How DOES a peice of art qulaify as 'fine art' when another one is 'bad art'? What IS art?
Andrew Pollack's work is one of my favorite examples as to how it meets the 'fine art' criteria when the paints he used aren't even archival, but cans of paint from the hardware store. Where is the technicality in his work?
OK, so he innovated and introduced a new form of visual language.
What makes one piece of work more valid then the other?
I agree with Claudine; the baby eating kitty has a certain level of appeal!
Thanks for the discussion and museum tour!
One man's trash is another man's treasure. I could see the merit in all the pieces.
I took a class from someone, who said if you take a class and put up one piece and the teacher sees only bad things in it, run and get your class fees back. And he was right!
Mary Ann
I've been watching some old episodes of Perry Mason on DVD. Polka Dots were big in the late 50s I guess. Love that PD floor!
Never understood the clown thing. As a child at the circus I thought they were fun!
I think you're right about the decorative genitalia piece...it's quite interesting! Hey, it was great lunching with you at A&S. It was so nice to finally meet for more than a moment in the hallway!
jSo bad it's good?
Bad no, interesting yes, we could all do a museum of "bad art" and we'd all hang diffrent things, as long as it's original it's all good, for me bad is, doing someone elses art, souless and not from your vision. the longer I continue on this journey called artist, the more I'm inclined to see merit in any attempt to create, to express in a way beyond words...It does sound like fun though a little wine and lots of laughs
cheers
steph b, from port.
Oh geez. Glad I didn't see any of my art here. Will have to go to the source and make sure none of my stuff is on the website. As far as the clown goes, I will see it in my dreams tonight. It does get points for technique.
Eeeek. I see a lot of things I like in their collection. I must have terrible aesthetic judgment. Hmmm.
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