When someone starts a discussion about the quality of art and tries to define what makes art good or bad, the talk will always circulate around artist’s skills, technique, fame and acknowledgment of the artist, the size of the artwork and even the prices the artist sells for.
These factors are great for a talk, but defining the goodness of art is really not that complicated.
If you are looking for the best way to define art, check out my earlier blog post on what art is.
CHARACTERISTICS OF GOOD ART
Good art has a:
- strong emotional impact on the viewer;
- long lasting, unforgettable impression.
That’s about it. We are all different and our judgement of art is based on our own tastes, experiences and values.
And that is why we should have our own, personal judgements about art.
So it is perfectly OK to hate an artwork that someone loves and to love an artwork, that everybody hates.
Now let’s discuss these two most important characteristics.
Abstract No. 11 by artist Gina Vor.
EMOTIONAL IMPACT
The purpose of art is to move us emotionally, so if you are looking at a good work of art you will feel an emotion.
You can feel aesthetic pleasure, be inspired or disgusted, curious or angry. Whatever emotions you experience, if the artwork moved you, it is good.
Art may communicate an important message or simply be aesthetically pleasing.
You might even not be able to explain why you like it or hate it, and it is perfectly fine.
LONG LASTING IMPRESSION
You leave the exhibition hall and you can’t forget the painting you saw. Your mind keeps coming back to the artwork you observed.
You are wondering what the artist was thinking of when creating it, you are interested how he made it and want to discuss the artwork with other people.
You would gladly own it.
Alternatively, if you own a good work of art, you will realise how much joy it brings into your living space and will discover something new everyday, just by giving it another glance.
It never bores you, and if you removed it from your home, you would feel instant emptiness. You would miss it like hell.
You would never want to sell it.
So that’s it. These two characteristics have a lot to do with artist’s talent of course, but not so much with the price.
There are a lot of very good affordable artworks out there and very expensive ones that are not good at all.
Speaking about size — yes, it is important and although there are a lot of charming miniatures, and I love them as well, I must say that large formats will always have a stronger influence on the viewer.
It is quite obvious: the larger the artwork, the stronger impact shapes and colours have on the viewer.
LOOKING FOR GOOD ART?
Visit my online art gallery and discover affordable contemporary art, selected by the criteria I have just told you about.
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