The Death of Art by: Clyde Smith

Contemporary art in present day American culture isn’t the thriving avant-garde force it used to be. This does not mean that the artists in the world aren’t doing their jobs as vanguard, artists but in fact it is viewers who aren’t doing their part in demanding or viewing vanguard art. America’s mass population likes to view “easily-digested” kitsch. The question I want to pose to the public is; are most people in American society becoming mindless creatures solely looking for kitsch entertainment? If American culture stays on the current course, our critical thinking skills and avant-garde art will fall by the wayside.

Reasons for why there is less interest in viewing avant-garde contemporary art are the predominance of kitsch art, the decline of critical thinking, advances in technology, media exploitation, generational gaps, and consumerism. The solution to the problem is to engage American society with the ability to recognize kitsch entertainment, the desire to view avant-garde art, and the desire to engage the mind with critical thinking. Without this change kitsch will be the stake through the heart of art and critical thinking.

Art that is kitsch and viewed as only decoration is inconsequential. Art is dead is core of the title because most of American society hardly recognize art and its importance. Most Americans view art as skillfully produced decoration, this may be subconscious or due to ignorance. The mass Americans do not even appear to possess any basic knowledge about contemporary/historical artists or related events. How did fine art turn into something that is underground? Why do most people know all the gossip about movie stars but little or nothing about culture-advancing and thought provoking contemporary art?

Avant-garde is a French term that means forerunner, vanguard, or front line. The phrase has been turned into an art term that refers to works that are on the cutting edge, ground breaking, or experimental. Avant-garde art has meaning, function, purpose, vigor, and strength. Art has no reason to exist except to continually keep mankind moving toward a better condition. This is where the problem lies. Most of present day society is ignorant to contemporary art. This discourages people from making an effort to view avant-garde artworks. Kitsch art also steals the spotlight from avant-garde art by posing as vanguard art works and distracting possible onlookers.