Art Quote by Michael Kimmelman
““Under ordinary circumstances, bad art naturally gets sorted out and disappears. That is how history works when it is left alone to do its job. The paradox of the culture wars is that they have made celebrities out of some artists who would otherwise vanish. Censorship has become a growth industry. This may be the best argument, in the end, for unfettered freedom of expression.””
About This Quote
Source Essay: Art and Censorship, The New York Times, 2017
Art that lacks merit is usually filtered out by public taste over time; however, cultural conflicts can artificially elevate mediocre work, while censorship thrives on controlling expression.
In simple terms: Bad art usually disappears, but culture wars keep it alive and censorship grows.
Key Takeaway
Protect artistic merit by encouraging open discourse.
Themes
art
culture
censorship
media
freedom of expression
Mood
critical
contemplative
Type
analytical
philosophical
When to use this quote
- museum curation
- media criticism
- policy debates
- education curricula
Key Concepts
cultural dynamics
market forces
public taste
Questions to Reflect On
- How do cultural conflicts influence artistic value?
- What role should audiences play in filtering art?
A Different Perspective
Even with free expression, market forces may still marginalize quality work.
![“[Robert Rauschenberg, 1925-2008] helped to obscure the lines between painting and sculpture, painting and photography, photography and printmaking, sculpture and photography, sculpture and dance, sculpture and technology, technology and performance art — not to mention between art and life.” quote by Michael Kimmelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/b3c/michael-kimmelman-33676_art_robert-rauschenberg-1925-2008-helped-to_1386378.jpg)
