No judgment without standards
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I FOUND Margot Livesey's May 11 op-ed "What makes good art?" interesting and thoughtful; however, I found no discussion of what "good" or "bad" art was. Art no longer has any common standards by which a value judgment may be made. Livesey's contribution seems merely an argument as to what is accepted as art, and that one should keep an open mind. All well and good.
In support of Livesey, art history gives us several instances where the accepted standards of art were abandoned for "new," more "original" work. She properly points out the Impressionist movement as a glaring example. This only helps to support the notion that art is a personal expression, but gives no contribution to what is good or bad. That, by definition, will be a value judgment.
But that judgment is going to be impossible without accepted standards.
Many people - I include myself - become disgusted and discouraged by the fatuous elucidations of critics and artists attempting to explain art. Once again, I believe that this is caused by the absence of standards. Just saying something is good does not make it so.
I would be interested in reading a real discussion of how we are to judge new art, rather than just another explanation that it may be art after all, no matter the personal opinion.
Eric M. Zeiler
Hull
