Why it’s OK to Dislike Art
Have you ever looked at a work of art and instantly walked, or clicked, away? Have you ever seen a work of art and thought “that is so stupid” or “I could do that”? If you have you are not alone. Many people do not like art, and their reasons can be as simple as being bored because it’s just some paint on a canvas. Many people dislike Contemporary Art because they do not understand it, therefore they don’t give it a chance. Or, they think their child could have painted it, so there is no reason for it to be in a museum. Some people dislike art from the ancient world and the Renaissance because it’s the same thing over and over again. Still more people dislike art that depicts the nude body because it makes them uncomfortable, and some dislike art that portrays radical ideas for the same reason. But, as long as you have a reason why you don’t like something you can always discuss why you may or may not like a work of art.
To be clear, not giving art a chance, being uncomfortable, bored, or rude, are not reasons to dislike art. There are three central reasons (that I can identify) why it is ok to dislike a work of art. They are as follows;
People are different and your way of looking at the world will differ, so, what one person likes you make dislike.
By disliking a piece of art you often learn more about what art you do like, or you can at least learn to identify what you don’t like about art.
Sometimes art is made to be disliked, and in that case, you are being a supportive art observer by disliking it.
To address the first point, people are different, and your taste will almost always differ from the next person, in some way. So, what I may like you may dislike, and that is perfectly valid. Oftentimes, the artist did not create a work of art to specifically appeal to your tastes. Therefore, there is nothing stopping you from turning away from a work if you do not like it. However, you should not just write off a work of art right away because you think it’s not for you. Always give it a chance to impress you because you never know what is hiding beneath the surface of the work’s story.
For me, I realized this while I was studying the artist, Arshile Gorky. There was one work, in particular, Garden in Sochi, No.3 [figure 1], that I really did not like. I thought that Gorky’s take on Abstract Expressionism was too extreme. I was resigned to the fact that this work and this artist was not for me. That all changed when I took some time to read Gorky’s story and really look at the work of art. Gorky fled from Armenia to the United States in 1920 only after the rest of his family had emigrated and his mother had passed away due to starvation. Despite his unfortunate background, his works feel almost whimsical when you first look at them. It is only after you have begun to learn more about them that you see how much went into Gorky’s art. Garden in Sochi, No. 3 is a call back to Gorky’s family traditions in Armenia. In the painting, there are shapes that look like shoes and possibly a tree. The shoes often appear in Gorky’s work to reference the pair that his father gave to him before they were separated at the end of World War I. The tree is most likely symbolic of the poplar trees that his family planted when a son was born. So although this work looks like a bunch of random shapes it has so much meaning for the artist. After figuring all of this out, I fell in love with Gorky’s work because I had cracked the code on how to read his work.
[figure 1] Arshile Gorky, Garden in Sochi, No. 3, 1943, Oil on canvas, 78.7x99 cm, The Museum of Modern Art, New York.
As for the second reason, in disliking a piece of art you tend to learn what art you like and why you like it. You also discover what parts of art are frustrating or annoying, and why those things make you dislike a work. I highly encourage pinpointing what it is you don’t like about a work of art because this will help you explain why you don’t like it if anyone asks (which may not happen, but you never know). Disliking one work of art does not automatically mean you have to dislike all art either. If you learn more about the art you do like then you can figure out why you may be averse to other genres of art. Everyone tends to have a handful of genres that resonate with, but it is rare to like every single one.
[figure 2] Jean Dubuffet, Large Sooty Nude, August 1944, Oil on canvas, 162x97.2 cm, Private Collection, New York.
One example that I can give about works that can be frustrating but that help you pinpoint why you dislike a certain type of art, is my experience with Jean Dubuffet’s Large Sooty Nude [figure 2]. Now, I had to study this work for a class so I am partially convinced that I will always dislike this work because it was unavoidable. It is meant to serve as a more realistic approach and acknowledgment of the female nude after the nude had so commonly portrayed in the “ideal” format for whatever artist was creating it. This work is meant to acknowledge that bodies, especially the female nude comes from a real place, and is not entirely fantastical. Although I support the general idea that Dubuffet has, I can never see this work as likable. For me, it is a grotesque depiction of women that I feel is actually somewhat disrespectful, because this male artist has chosen to make the female nude into something dirty. However, those are my opinions, and they do not need to be yours. Regardless, this work taught me that even when you dig deeper into the work you may find that the underlying story does not redeem the work for you at all, but at least I tried and learned. Now I know that Dubuffet’s work may not be my favorite and maybe I should stick to works that are more positive in the way they represent the female nude.
The last reason is that sometimes art is purposefully made to be disliked and controversial. It is especially common for contemporary artists to create works that will create any type of reaction, even a negative one. Now, disliking a work of art because the artist wants you to is perfectly reasonable grounds to dislike a work. However, you should still probably look into why that work is meant to be disliked. On the other hand, it is also ok to like a work that the artist wanted you to dislike. The real purpose of this reason is to point out that artists will have a purpose for their art, a way they want it to be perceived, but that doesn’t mean that you aren’t allowed to make it your own.
[figure 3] Marcel Duchamp, Fountain, 1917, photograph by Alfred Stieglitz at 291 art gallery.
The best example of this may be the work of Marcel Duchamp. One work, in particular, Fountain [figure 3] is universally frustrating. Duchamp was an artist of Dadaism and was known for his “ready-mades” which were essentially just found items, like the urinal used in Fountain, turned into art. Dadaism was all about making art out of whatever came into your head. It was about chaos and creativity, therefore, it was often infuriating. Needless to say, many people disliked Duchamp for deciding that an appropriated urinal could be a work of art, but it has grown in fame over time. So, sometimes, disliking a work that is meant to be disliked helps grow its reach and teach more people about the weird corners of art history.
How can you form your own perspective?
Take the time to figure out the art that you encounter. Figure out for yourself whether or not you like a work, and don’t become discouraged if it takes some time before you fall in love with a work of art. It takes time to know what you like. So continue to try and give art a chance.
