I need some help please. I'm trying to get into modern art, from a collection standpoint to a certain extent.

I really like the colors used by Marc Chagall and Joan Miro, particularly in relation to their use of white. It can create a welcoming and comfortable space. Any other artists I should be look at who have the same pleasant and friendly use of color?

Why is it that throughout the last, let’s say four decades, people have shifted their views from focusing on the main point of art, the artwork, to how the viewer interprets the piece? It’s like the art doesn’t matter anymore, and people just sell it for money, mocking the poor. This may be a known thing and all, but I don’t get it. Downvote me if you want, barely anyone here makes much sense.

For years now reddit has been on a downward trajectory in terms of its usability, community, censorship, and ideological recuperation. Last year's mod protests showed that reddit as a centralised platform has core issues as a result of that centralisation, and with the looming IPO launch the shareholder pressures on reddit will continue to make this website worse. Already it's an unrecognisable shell of the one I joined in 2009, come 2025 it's Digg but with more bots.

Modernism is very important to me and I think learning that history will do a lot for current people questioning the world around us. These were the same animal responding to similar stressors and trying to build a lost future in response. The working class cultural language of that future and how it radically deconstructs the cultural language of societal elites is an incredibly useful weapon. Today we see the naive resurgence of dada in the dirtbag left, of art nouveau in aesthetics like goblincore/cottagecore, and post-WW2 architecture influencing new urbanism. These aren't just historical curiosities or pretty paintings, but acts of revolt against the world before them and a blueprint for how to revolt against a similar world after them. They lost the fight but that doesn't mean these movements are a dead-end confined to some specific year. Intellectually they're still threads to chase and expand on.

So while I'm happy to lose reddit- as you can see I've not even bothered posting on the site in almost a year- I don't want to lose the one focused community I know of for this period of art. There should be a collected resource for people wanting to know and learn from a history otherwise so obscure that most of the posts here- removed and permabanned like all the warnings say- don't even know what modern art is.

If you aren't already familiar with it, Lemmy is that alternative. It's the same idea as reddit, but there is no Reddit Inc tying it all together. Instead each subreddit analogue has its own ecosystem of sub-subreddits. That community chooses to stay federated with others, so if federated you're seeing the feeds of those too. If defederated for toxicity or spam, that community is still its own Web 1.0 forum. It allows for greater democracy and with no Reddit Inc there is nobody to ratfuck it in the name of profit.

I've been on Lemmy for three years now with the Hexbear instance and it's all the things I liked about this website in 2009 with none of the toxic elements that have developed since. It's not gamified, you're not supporting communities you disagree with by being on the same servers, spam is dealt with quickly and the users have unions.

Going forward I'm still going to remove spam posts here when I see them because it irks me, but this website is a dead end and I'm not going to bother with it. Instead I'm restarting it on Lemmy.ml/c/modernism. Lemmy.ml is one of the largest and most inclusive communities on the "Fediverse" of Lemmy instances and it allows for me to make my own sub-subreddit. It'll be slow at first but I'll be posting over the next few weeks to get it going.

I think the core idea of what I wanted to do here is still something worth probing more. Deeper posts on the socio- and geopolitical context, of the philosophy of those artists and why those ideas were important to them, and of the lessons it has for cyclic history are going to be the focus. There will still be no self-promotion or post-1980ish art.

You're welcome to join there if you'd like. This place will linger but I hate what this website became. We can do so much better without a corporation making things worse for profit and farming our data for the large language models that threaten our jobs. Lemmy's the best candidate for that with the closest experience to reddit.

Bye everyone else. If not there, jump ship to somewhere else. Legacy platforms like this, facebook, and twitter are all autocannibalising.

TL;DR- reddit is structurally bad, it's going to get worse as a public company, join lemmy.ml/c/modernism if you want because its structure prevents many of the things that have got us to this point.

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As an art enthusiast, I've found myself increasingly disillusioned with the state of modern art. It seems that these days, anything can pass off as art, regardless of its lack of skill or meaning. Here are a few reasons why I believe modern art is more of a scam than a legitimate form of artistic expression:

1. Lack of Skill: One of the fundamental principles of art is mastery of technique. However, modern art often seems to prioritize shock value over skill. Splattering paint on a canvas or arranging random objects in a gallery does not require the same level of technical proficiency as classical painting or sculpture.
2. Subjective Interpretations: While art is inherently subjective, modern art takes subjectivity to an extreme. Often, pieces are so abstract or nonsensical that viewers are left grasping for meaning. This ambiguity allows artists to pass off laziness or incompetence as intentional artistic choices.
3. Commercialization: Modern art has become more about marketing and brand recognition than genuine creativity. Galleries and collectors often inflate the value of artworks based on the artist's reputation rather than the quality of the work itself. This commodification of art undermines its integrity and perpetuates the idea that art is merely a status symbol for the wealthy elite.
4. Lack of Innovation: True artistic innovation involves pushing boundaries and challenging norms. However, much of modern art feels derivative and uninspired. Artists frequently recycle tired tropes and gimmicks, resulting in a homogenized art world devoid of genuine originality.
5. Disconnect from Society: Modern art often feels disconnected from the human experience and fails to resonate with audiences on a meaningful level. Instead of sparking thought-provoking discussions or eliciting emotional responses, many contemporary artworks leave viewers feeling confused or indifferent.

In conclusion, modern art's emphasis on shock value, lack of technical skill, and commercialization have led me to view it as more of a scam than a legitimate form of artistic expression. While there are undoubtedly talented contemporary artists pushing the boundaries of creativity, they are overshadowed by the proliferation of mediocre and pretentious works that dominate the modern art scene.

What are your thoughts on modern art? Do you agree that it lacks real talent, or do you believe it represents a legitimate evolution of artistic expression? Let's discuss.

Tried eBay and Facebook marketplace so far but only people who showed any interest have been scammers. Need to shift as taking up too much space. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated 🙏

I am very interested in 1960-1990’s art, what are some of the articles and documentaries i can read/watch to learn more?

Hey there,

I don't know how concentrated this community is geogrpahically but I was wondering (from your point of view) how well known James Ensor is in your country of residence? (can be any country)

If you don't know him then that's a valid answer as well :D

Thanks!