Conversation is the litmus test for great art
“What is art?” is perhaps the most futile question ever asked. It’s like trying to argue what the best color is.
But I think I’ve found what the definition of great art is: a visible, audible, or experiential creation that gets people talking. Yes, that includes shock artists that insipidly use controversy to attract publicity. And no, art doesn’t have to be properly marketed or seen by lots of people to make it great. But if an original creation, whether accidental or intended, doesn’t make a lasting impression on at least one beholder, it can’t be great art. Am I wrong?
Panting by Jonathan Janson, a Vermeer impressionist