Hell, you think you’re lowbrow, I, personally, have always thought that this was just a bad painting. Now before I get pounced by the art folk let me say that I’ve taken many Humanities and Art Appreciation classes and I understand the reasons why this is supposed to be a great painting. Still, call them as you see them, this one does nothing for me. Same with that stupid Van Gogh one with the giant bed in it. They’re just not good paintings.
Actually, it’s not “only one” because he painted several versions of The Scream.
Did you miss the part where he said “(I know there are also different versions of the The Scream, but I am talking about actual different paintings)”?
ART IS SUBJECTIVE.
Learn it. Live it. Love it. There is no “correct answer” to the character or meaning of a given piece of art. The creator’s intentions are one interpretation; the viewer’s impressions are another. If you believe the figure in The Scream is screaming, then for you, he is. If you believe he is merely expressing shock and horror at the scream he detects in the universe, then for you, that is what he is doing. If you believe he forgot to wear pants, and is displaying embarrasment at the fact that his oddly-shaped, wavy ding-dong is flappin’ in the breeze, then for you, that is what the painting depicts.
It’s a personal thing. YMMV, and you’re no more right or wrong than I am.
Whoa. That’s, like, deep.
No, but I was thinking of ranting about the people who think it’s A Bad Thing that the museum didn’t have armed guards, sniper nests, [Dr Evil]killer sharks, frickin’ laser beams[/Dr Evil] and so on. For fuck’s sake - if people want to steal a painting, it’s not worth people getting shot over.
And yes, I appreciate that art is subjective. But I used to think the guy was screaming too, until some art wonk put me straight in a snippy manner. And he who is snipped at gets snippy on the next guy. So there. 
No? I would say it is most definitely worth shooting people over. To steal a culturally significant item from public display is to rape the world’s patrimony. One can argue about whether, for example, the Elgin marbles should be in the British Museum or in Athens (I prefer the latter), but in either case the public will be able to see them. But theft from public view is, I believe, a crime of the first degree.
Huh? Yes, it’s a terrible crime, but come on. On th one hand we’re talking about a painting, and on the other hand we’re talking about human life.
I for one don’t want to run the risk of getting caught in the crossfire next time I pop along to the V&A.
I sort of like this approach; if artists can talk bollocks about their stuff with impunity (and they do, although not specifically this artist), why can’t everyone else?
Ahem, “(I know there are also different versions of the The Scream, but I am talking about actual different paintings)”
Don’t care. Don’t care what it represents, or who thinks it’s a masterpiece.
It’s hideous and I can’t imagine why anyone would want it on their wall, far less value it as worth millions or steal it.
Maybe you’d like to see this (scroll down)
This thread has been highly informative, and very thought provoking. And funny.
My previous knowledge of art was gleaned from:
SoYouWanna Fake An Appreciation For Art
http://www.soyouwanna.com/site/syws/fakeart/fakeart.html
Moderator’s Notes: I added a warning in the previous post because I got a GWB mooning me when I opened the second link. Since the page is updated daily with new cartoons, that’s likely to change, but I added a caution in any case.
According to this link, yes, it was part of a series.
It’s often the unintended, inadvertent details such as this that elevates good art to an ethereal, amaranthine greatness.
Never realized Richard Belzer was involved with art. Way to go Munch!