Viewing archives for "January 18, 2013"
This entry is part 1 of 8 in the series”Cheap Thrills: Pop Art and Transcendence”
In the land of TolerateAll, the outlaw is the realist critic. Civil order is maintained by quelling all disagreements over beauty with a few simple, and widely accepted, cultural manners. Should someone voice his view that a particular song, poem, [...]
Continue Reading →This entry is part 2 of 8 in the series”Cheap Thrills: Pop Art and Transcendence”
Kaplan begins by defining what he means by the popular arts. In his definition, popular arts does not refer to:
1) Pop art, the dadaistic art movement that emerged in the 1950s.
2) Bad art. A work of art [...]
This entry is part 3 of 8 in the series”Cheap Thrills: Pop Art and Transcendence”
The popular arts are often criticized by aesthetes for their form, or perhaps formlessness. Kaplan responds to this by directing us once again to how people use the popular arts, much like Lewis does in An Experiment in Criticism.
Kaplan [...]
Continue Reading →This entry is part 4 of 8 in the series”Cheap Thrills: Pop Art and Transcendence”
Kaplan argues that popular art is formless. It does not possess form in the truest sense. Form in good art, is precisely what invites true participation, creative perception, and diligent interpretation. Good form places demands on us. Its form even [...]
Continue Reading →This entry is part 5 of 8 in the series”Cheap Thrills: Pop Art and Transcendence”
You can recognize popular art not only through its form (or formlessness), but through the feelings it evokes, according to Kaplan. He disagrees with the common objection that popular art is mere entertainment. All art, Kaplan argues, has intrinsic interest [...]
Continue Reading →This entry is part 6 of 8 in the series”Cheap Thrills: Pop Art and Transcendence”
Kaplan disputes the idea that popular art provides relief from boredom. In one very real sense, it perpetuates it.
The key difference between serious or useful art and popular art is that popular art provides an emotional experience without perspective. [...]
Continue Reading →This entry is part 7 of 8 in the series”Cheap Thrills: Pop Art and Transcendence”
Popular art is accused of being escapist. Kaplan agrees and disagrees. He argues that popular art seeks to escape the ugliness or troubles of this world, but it does so differently to serious art. Art may give us an idealized [...]
Continue Reading →This entry is part 8 of 8 in the series”Cheap Thrills: Pop Art and Transcendence”
As Kaplan concludes, he considers the social functions of popular art. He sees its appeal in finding a common denominator among people. It is popular because it appeals to almost universal tastes. As to its function, popular art is no [...]
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