I find it exhilarating. If there were an objective standard for great art then it would be possible to create a work that met that standard, obviating the need for further creation. But if good is a moving target, then there’s always a reason to make something new.
Exit Through the Gift Shop is an entertaining documentary about a photographer who fancied himself an artist and bootstrapped himself to a highly successful exhibit. This quote from the movie probably sums up a lot of art:
“I think the joke is on… I don’t know who the joke is on, really. I don’t even know if there is a joke.”
— Banksy’s former spokesman Steve Lazarides
The value of art comprises:
- the price of the (melted-down) raw materials,
- the aesthetic pleasure you receive,
- the functional utility of the piece,
- the value of the piece as an artifact (it’s informational value), and/or
- the price you can get the next guy to pay for it.