I have a theory of contemporary artwork ingredients. They may include beauty-anti-beauty, color, form, the title, the artist statement, the artist narrative, and emotional carriers.
Carriers can take many forms. The skill of an artist is to balance the ingredients. Too much beauty is not playing fair. Too much emotion is not playing fair, in my opinion. For instance, an artist can insert images of the Holocaust or similar. It is guaranteed to get a response from the audience.
I have followed the work of Alfredo Jaar for some time. He does socially conscious art. His causes are fine. I love much of the work, but I think he crosses over into exploiting too obvious emotional ingredients in some works. I have heard him speak twice. His ego does not admit the possibility of audience exploitation. Some of his audience like it. Hey, if you want to collect triggers into your living space, go for it! Personally I think artists Ai Weiwei and Banksy ply the same waters better.
Here is an exercise as an art-maker or in an art-making group, do a crit of Jaar's works.
To me, that question is an ongoing discussion for art makers and art audiences. He has certainly been successful in the art-making machinery.
Jaar speaks free tonight.
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