Modern art is all about artist communicating with other artists and ignoring the public.
Art USED to be about artists communicating with other human beings. But like architects, modern artists have to prove that their expensive education makes them smarter than everyone else. Doing so by taking on something truly unique--like making something beautiful that is also original enough so it can withstand the critical brickbats of the New York art set--is too much of a challenge.
So they go for the easy task of making something that's merely different. I can say "OK, I've never seen anything like this before"--but so what? Originality for its own sake is useless. Something both original AND beautiful? Now THAT is the test of a true artist.
I'd have to take a long time to give you some examples of living artists whose works are both uniqe AND beautiful.