[piasa]

Why would a wealthy benefactor pay a small fortune to a painter when he could get a more accurate, less expensive and far more "high-tech" photograph? Why would a rich adventurer bring a painter when he could commision a photographer?

A valid point... but why hire an artist to make something that you can make simply by coating two horny male cats with paint and throwing them on a canvas to fight... why hire an artist to do that which your 13 year old child to do?

[jwh_Denver]

why hire an artist to do that which your 13 year old child to do?

This is I believe the biggest problem people have in getting over the "I could do that! Or my kid could!" That is not the point of art. Art is supposed to create a reaction in the viewer. If you can't get by that then head over to the classical stuff cause you know you couldn't have painted that. No matter what your perspective is you have the right to your opinion. I've seen modern art I liked and some well, if it wasn't behind a window.........

[weegee]

Go see the cross-linked thread on this article. I posted some of Salvador Dali's comments on "modern art" there.

They aren't outlandish "can you believe I said that" statements but rather a passionate bit attacking the anyone-can-do-it school of art.