To think that this isn't art?

[MissHooliesCardigan]

I don't understand art at all. I can't draw or paint to save my life. However, I can appreciate it and be moved by it and I go to galleries reasonably regularly. I don't think that all modern art is rubbish and don't sign up to the 'I could do that' school of thought.
However...I went to the new wing of the Tate Modern today and saw this:

Bear in mind that this is the most visited modern art gallery in the world so anything in it is therefore considered to be pretty special. Can anyone convince me that this isn't just a pile of bricks and some blank canvasses? (Sorry for the weird black line, I've got a crack in my camera).

[omri]

I love art... But I am struggling with the exhibits you've shown there. Really struggling. Although like the first one - kind of looks like a robot totem pole.

[RedHareWithBlondeHair]

That's not art. I don't care much for this movement in 'modern' art that classes something like a chair with a cup on it as art . I suppose art is different things for different people but for me it means the person has to have a discernible talent in drawing or painting.

[Aebj]

Lol I really don't get modern art either.
We visited the Pompidou centre in Paris recently and found where all my boys art that I thougt I had put in file 13!!!

[Acopyofacopy]

I'm with you, OP. When I took the kids to the Tate my youngest famously turned around and asked "are you sure this is art, mum?" in her best, loudest voice

[tethersend]

As far as I'm concerned, if the person making it says it's art, it's art.

That doesn't mean it's good, but it's still art. Shit art.

[LuluJakey1]

This one is ludicrous.

[mrsfuzzy]

no, no, op you got it all wrong, that's not the tate modern, it's the local recycling centre ! [

[Porcupinetree]

Of course it's art, it was created by an artist...

[ChardonnayKnickertonSmythe]

It's all relative.

There's this, but then there is often things on some threads here that people seem to love and have in their homes, and I don't like that those, but they do.

Whatever floats your boat.

[Horehound]

Lol @ porcupine.

I hate the pretentiousness of it. Like that guy actually standing staring at the blank canvass a hahahaha fool. Dont stand there and pretend you are getting something from that.

[JohnLithgowsLargeForehead]

I go to Leeds Art Gallery every now and then and love the older section, huge paintings of people, animals and landscapes. They are so beautiful and I'm in awe of the skill. Then I go into the modern part and there are some really great pieces but many like 'red canvas' which is just a canvas painted red, or a brick, or a few lines drawn on a bit of paper. I can just picture people going to the exhibition walking round with their glasses of wine saying "This one is so powerful"

[elephantoverthehill]

I was given 'We go to the Gallery' Ladybird book for Christmas. I think all is explained within its pages.

[TripTrapTripTrapOverTheBridge]

The lady behind the guy in the wheelchair (first pic) looks more like art than the actual art.

The blank canvasses, I think there's two ways people will react and the guy looking IS NOT pretentious.

A. Some will look, think wtf, and walk off laughing.

B. Others will see it for what it (presumably) is- blank canvasses for your mind to fill. You stand and imagine,probably something relating to your life. A bit of reflection.

So really,as daft as it is, the blank canvasses are really the most'artistic'of those pieces, depending on how you define 'art'

[TripTrapTripTrapOverTheBridge]

That should say ' or a bit of reflection', pondering on things. It's an either or

[MargotLovedTom]

Reminds me of the play 'Art' with the white canvas.
I agree with JohnLithgow re traditional art.

[MissHooliesCardigan]

Right, I've decided to quit my job and become an artist. Here are a couple of pieces I've spent the last few minutes months creating. What do you think?

[JuanTime]

Art is whatever one considers art to be.if you say it's art,it's art
Whether it is good art,well that's another matter entirely

[RedHareWithBlondeHair]

I used to work with a lot of creative people with varying degrees of artistic talent in my previous so this meant e.g. architects, fashion designers, musicians and also these modern artists.

Without fail it was always the modern artists that had such an air of haughty pretentiousness about their work if you failed to 'get it'. I recall many times trying to stifle my laughter at line on a blank canvas representing life or some such nonsense.

[FellOutOfBed2wice]

I like modern art and like reading about and thinking about the rationale behind each piece and why they've decided to create it in the way that they have with the materials they have. Interests me a lot more than a painting of a meadow or some horses. Looks like I'm in the minority though.

[BlackCelebration]

MissHoolies! You are a genius! It speaks to me in a way no other modern art piece ever could!

[PhloppysFonics]

Picture number three of the 'OP collection' is very thought provoking.

It speaks to me of conformity on the far left but then moving across to the middle with free thinking (black bottle) and then breaking away from societal expectations with the bottle on the far right.

It also speaks of our strong desire to return to a safe place (white bottle partially obscured) perhaps even the hesitation of trying to become ones own person and living a life less ordinary.

It's a very moving piece OP.

'Art is what you can get get away with ' Andy Warhol

[MissHooliesCardigan]

Fellout and MadameDeathstare I'm totally not 'anti' modern art. I love Tracey Emin. There was an exhibit in the Turbine Hall at the Tate Modern a few years back that genuinely blew my mind, I must have been to see it 50 times. But piles of bricks and blank canvasses just leave me cold and I think it should be OK to say that without fear of being seen as a Philistine dunce who just doesn't 'get it'.

[MissHooliesCardigan]

BlackCelebration I'm so glad my art has spoken to you. You've inspired me to keep going, however hard it might be.