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Make good art or what makes art good?
Reflection on question - what makes art good?
5 November '20
make good art or what makes art good

by Alina Livneva

5 November '20

Make good art or what makes art good?


Reflection on question - what makes art good?

Often we stand before a beautiful painting while watching your friend say “not my favorite. I mean it’s good, just doesn’t feel like special." You raise your brow as your friend turns his attention towards another painting. You think how could he not like this piece, so cool and the colors are great.

Eventually, you ask yourself - what makes art good?

Many questions arise while thinking of what makes good art:

- Is someone more refined than the other?
- Did personal experience shape the perception of the piece?
- What makes a piece “good” and another painting “bad”?
- Why an art critic elaborates over one piece but disregards another?
- Is an artwork good if it meets some special criteria, or does it depend on who you speak to?

Hans Ulrich Obrist

After asking professionals for their opinions, I was excited to see what they had to say, but I was surprised to find that no one could agree on a single definition.

Some consider the commitment of the artist as the key to good art, while others state good art sticks in your mind as a positive memory, others say it has to do with originality, some say the background story of a piece is the key. There are considerations that it may be up to chance whether a piece becomes popular. However popular does not mean good. While looking for this information one cannot find a single definition that exists.

You may get disappointed over the issue. Even professionals often couldn’t decide what made a piece of art good. You are left wondering how could you do it?

In the end, one realizes that viewing art is an entirely personal experience based on your knowledge of the style, piece, artist, visual etc.

The interpretation gets into action through personal experience. Often what one person loves, another may find mediocre, one finds depressing, the other may find it inspirational.

The beauty of the world lies in this diversity of opinion about everything including art. What may seem to overwhelm some, works differently for others and this difference in reactions only make art even more exciting.

what makes art good
There are multiple elements that put together form beautiful art in the viewer's eyes, and finding out why makes up the journey. The elements may be diverse as memories, experiences, the story of the work, of the artist, his life, or the particular lighting in the gallery, weather, mood etc.

For another, it is the criticism, colors, form, texture, description, combined with memories or experiences, or events that make them reflect on a piece.

So most probably, deciding the quality of a work of art is very personal, and one has to realize that there is no universal definition. More, the art will lose its power if one-day humanity decides to define what has to be a collective legacy.

The best choice would be to see art as a personal experience and adventure. The world of art is made up of multiple genres, mediums, styles, messages, techniques and for sure one can browse and find a connection that will lead him to a new exploration, a step forward into the unknown.

One can bring his personal experiences, biases, beliefs, likes, and dislikes, and mix them with the stories, colors, feelings, histories, a new discovery.

What is important to understand that by attending an art gallery, walking into a museum, one makes the decision to step into the undiscovered world, full of excitement, something beautiful and profoundly yours.

About author Alina Livneva was born 1985 in Saint Petersburg, Russia. She studied at Saint Petersburg Academy of Arts. Educated in Russia and the United States. Lives in Miami. Has also lived in Russia. Collections expert, exhibitions and loans. E:This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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