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I can relate. I actually used to work at Artsy (the company who published this article), and before I worked there, I felt much the same way. What I learned aft

I can relate. I actually used to work at Artsy (the company who published this article), and before I worked there, I felt much the same way. What I learned after being immersed in the art world is that occasionally, art will "speak" to me immediately. But more often, it grows on me as I understand the context of the art and who made it. This is definitely the case for me with Basquiat, whose work can look like childish scribbles at first glance. In my farewell email to my Artsy coworkers, I wrote that as I really began to engage with the art world in my time there, I realized I had gained a whole new layer of perception. I was seeing new references and callbacks everywhere in the world around me. So what I would say is that if you feel like it's going over your head and want to invest the time, it can be extremely rewarding to go down the rabbit hole. You can do this by reading articles, watching documentaries, visiting exhibitions, and finding spaces inhabited by enthusiasts. Some things to check out: - The book The $12 Million Stuffed Shark - The film Exit Through The Gift Shop

phnofive 6y ago
Thanks, I appreciate your guidance. I’m admittedly self-conditioned to snap judgements on aesthetics, and despite reading the article, that’s probably what blocks me from getting it. Glad to know there may be a cure!
- nwienert 6y ago
  Keep in mind you’re living in a post-Basquiat world, he’s been ingested by the culture, his novelty is hard to feel now. Not that novelty is everything, there’s still obviously a lot of really interesting latent talent. But he also was making statements and refuting trends of his time, and all great artists innovate. It’s like seeing Rothko now, harder to appreciate because there’s been so much after Rothko, and a lot of that style was successful because of him since. In a way a lot of artists reveal new paths, unique ways of seeing the world, so you need the full historical context to appreciate them. Kanye was revolutionary in hip hop, but today it’s easy to hear him and say so what? But he invented many of the popular sounds now.
  - devilduck 6y ago
    I agree with this, except the part about Kanye inventing anything. I'd like to know what exactly you hear in "popular sounds" that you think he invented? There's almost certainly someone else who did it first.

phnofive 6y ago

Thanks, I appreciate your guidance. I’m admittedly self-conditioned to snap judgements on aesthetics, and despite reading the article, that’s probably what blocks me from getting it. Glad to know there may be a cure!

nwienert 6y ago
Keep in mind you’re living in a post-Basquiat world, he’s been ingested by the culture, his novelty is hard to feel now. Not that novelty is everything, there’s still obviously a lot of really interesting latent talent. But he also was making statements and refuting trends of his time, and all great artists innovate. It’s like seeing Rothko now, harder to appreciate because there’s been so much after Rothko, and a lot of that style was successful because of him since. In a way a lot of artists reveal new paths, unique ways of seeing the world, so you need the full historical context to appreciate them. Kanye was revolutionary in hip hop, but today it’s easy to hear him and say so what? But he invented many of the popular sounds now.
- devilduck 6y ago
  I agree with this, except the part about Kanye inventing anything. I'd like to know what exactly you hear in "popular sounds" that you think he invented? There's almost certainly someone else who did it first.