> How much of art popularity is people wanting to feel in the know, and desperately trying to find reasons to enjoy it?
Some for sure.
> If you say Picasso was a genius, then you're automatically accepted into a "smart" or "high class" or whatever group of people. If you criticize, then you're ostracized.
By who? I have a ton of family and friends who think Picasso and "all those other guys" suck, none of them are "ostracized". You're more likely to be ostracized if you say "I love Picasso, he was a genius.", and your reply to "what is your favourite work" is "ummm, the melting clock thing?". Mostly because that was Dali.
> It's exhausting to criticize, because the arguments for are so lacking in any substance.
I'm not sure how to respond to "I can't criticize Picasso because your defence will lack substance."
Why, how, would I even "defend" Picasso?
> I truly do not believe even 50% of people who claim to like Picasso actually like Picasso's paintings. I'm very confident the majority are people who say they do to fit into a group.
A majority of people will say they don't like Picasso if they could even identify his work. I didn't really like Picasso until I started seeing his work in person. Even then, he's hit or miss for me.
I'll bet nobody jumps on this comment to ostracize me.
Some for sure.
> If you say Picasso was a genius, then you're automatically accepted into a "smart" or "high class" or whatever group of people. If you criticize, then you're ostracized.
By who? I have a ton of family and friends who think Picasso and "all those other guys" suck, none of them are "ostracized". You're more likely to be ostracized if you say "I love Picasso, he was a genius.", and your reply to "what is your favourite work" is "ummm, the melting clock thing?". Mostly because that was Dali.
> It's exhausting to criticize, because the arguments for are so lacking in any substance.
I'm not sure how to respond to "I can't criticize Picasso because your defence will lack substance."
Why, how, would I even "defend" Picasso?
> I truly do not believe even 50% of people who claim to like Picasso actually like Picasso's paintings. I'm very confident the majority are people who say they do to fit into a group.
A majority of people will say they don't like Picasso if they could even identify his work. I didn't really like Picasso until I started seeing his work in person. Even then, he's hit or miss for me.
I'll bet nobody jumps on this comment to ostracize me.