No, it’s not completely subjective, any more than classical music or great literature is. You will encounter disagreement among knowledgeable critics regarding anything, which is where museum curators and art collectors come in. They can and do vote with their feet and put their money where their mouth is. Perhaps this is what is happening with Norman Rockwell, or perhaps it’s all that stimulus money sloshing around Wall Street and they’ve run out of places to put it and things to buy? Time will tell.
“knowledgable critics”
See, that is where I take issue with this. Those critics are NOT knowledgeable. They are simply reflecting what they assume should be quality because they have been acclimated to those ideas.
The classification of artistic endeavors is a worthy and worthwhile endeavor. The issue arises when one tries to classify something as “fine art” or “real art”.
The implications are that anything not so classified is of less quality and appreciable aesthetics.
Not so.
It is only arrogance and the worst form of classism that creates the divide. Those “artists” who know how to manipulate that world of the elite, laugh all the way to the bank by producing drivel that hits the points of what “true art” should be.
That’s why you have “Piss Christ” held up as an artistic masterpiece instead of being flatly refused a place on a pedestal.
The incestuous nature of the “fine art” world have turned all artistic endeavors into a mad scramble for either cash or critical acclaim.
But you can’t have both. Nope. If something is too popular, then obviously it’s too simple for fine art. It lacks depth, it lacks sophistication, it lacks nuance. If it had those qualities, then obviously the common man wouldn’t appreciate them.
See how much of pseudo-intellectual circle-jerk that is?
So those who are in art either have to appeal to those who would not have them become popular, or they can appeal to the masses and produce things that people want to see, read, watch and hear.
There will never again be someone who can break out of the “true art” world and become popular and respected among the general population. Because to do so would be to betray their artistic community and they would be a “sell out.”
And the “art” community has done this to itself. They have constructed a wall of arrogance and snobbery so high and so ridiculous that they will drink a glass of urine before they will applaud a popular artist. And that is sad.