Modern art divides opinion like no other artistic genre. For some, it's a display of human creativity and innovation; for others, it is puzzling, even infuriating. A painting of solid colors, an abstract sculpture, or a seemingly random arrangement of objects can leave skeptics asking, "How is this art?"
One of the most common criticisms of modern art is that "anyone could do it." In fact, this is far from the truth. For example, take the series of paintings ‘Who’s Afraid of Red, Yellow, and Blue’ by Barnett Newman. At first glance, they are simple, and don’t take much skill. After all, everyone can paint strips of plain colour. But this simplistic art piece enraged the public so much, to the point that it was infamously slashed by a man called Gerard Jan van Bladeren. When attempted to be restored, even ordinary people noticed a difference, because behind such a simple painting, there were complex techniques beyond being able to be restored. Unlike Renaissance paintings, which are often admired for their beauty by the general public, but are easily restored, showing that there is actually a lot of skill beyond what we just see on the canvas.
Although modern art may not be the art we’re all used to seeing, pretty flowers, or scenic landscapes, it shows a lot of skill and expertise, as well as deconstructing what we usually see in art. This art movement may not have to be your favourite of them all, but from now on, I urge you to keep a more open mind.
