Originally posted by Dewman How dare I!
I don't think anyone can justifiably criticise you for your appreciation (or lack thereof) of another person's art.
Personally, I am vocal about those artists whose work I appreciate, and pretty much silent about those I don't - but that's just me.
As far as Henri Cartier Besson's work is concerned... some of it I like, some of it I'm not so taken with. I'm interested in all of it, though, since there is something in it that has captured admiration from a huge audience. I absolutely love a majority of Andy Warhol's work, though there are numerous pieces that leave me cold. "Falling Water" is one of my favourite pieces of residential architecture design, but I couldn't say that I am or am not a Frank Lloyd Wright fan, as I haven't reviewed much of his work.
A few years ago, I went to a Damien Hirst exhibition at the Tate in London (I was living a few hundred yards away at the time, and a regular paid-up member of the Tate for some years). I'm not a fan of the vast majority of Hirst's work, but I came across a piece - one of his pills cabinets - that I fell in love with and, to this day, would include in my favourites list.
What am I really saying? Well, I think it's too broad-brushed to judge an artist on their entire portfolio of work. Individual pieces speak on their own merits, to individual people. Also, I think it's fine that some people appreciate a particluar piece or artist, and others don't. Long live independent thought. Where I *don't* appreciate someone's art, I can appreciate that others do, and I can certainly appreciate the success they've had in creating art that others appreciate...
EDIT: I forgot to say that I cringe at the art critics' general fawning over, or dismissal of, a particular artist "en masse"... It reveals just how shallow a large portion of that community can be. I'm equally critical of the fashionistas following trends driven by the critics
Last edited by BigMackCam; 01-07-2016 at 05:43 PM.