The Popular as Art?: An Investigation into Form, Value, Concepts, and Justifications

This book will reconstruct and analyze the logic and frameworks surrounding positive evaluations of popular art in articles and books predominantly published in the United States and western Europe. It will also examine negative evaluations of the popular, especially those that have successfully prevented the popular from being perceived as (good) art and still provide partially effective counterarguments today. This book will examine both relevant judgments on individual works and groups of works as well as general judgments and assessments. Contents 1 Introduction Reference Part I Fundamental Questions 2 Standardization 2.1 Genre 2.2 Genesis 2.3 Realism 2.4 Condensation 2.5 Narration 2.6 Art and Its Law 2.7 Individuality/the Part and the Whole 2.8 Divergences References 3 Stimulus References 4 Aesthetics References 5 Defining Art References 6 Is Art Useful? 6.1 The Popular and Its Function 6.2 Popular ‘Applied, Decorative Art’? 6.3 Function and the Analysis of Artistic Artifacts References 7 Is Entertainment Art? References 8 Are Events, Environments, and Star Performances Art? 8.1 The Expansion of the Popular 8.2 Disneyland, Discos, Multimedia 8.3 The Oeuvre of the Star References 9 The Art of the Show? 9.1 Divertissement, Revue, Cabaret 9.2 Elements of the Show 9.3 One Artist, One Group: The ‘Solo Show’ 9.4 Radio and Television Shows References 10 Can Works by Amateurs Be Art? References Part II Particular Valorisations: Popular Artifacts as Good Art 11 What’s Popular References 12 The Popular and the ‘People’ References 13 Bestselling Novels: Realism References 14 Genre Paradigms References 15 Praise for ‘Popular’ Genres References 16 Entertaining References 17 Trash References 18 Spotlight on the Star References 19 Clichés on Display References 20 Rock ‘nʼ Roll: “Grotesque enough to sell a million” References 21 The Modern Art of Rock References 22 The Art of Pop Music References 23 Image and Pop Fashion as Art References 24 The Feeling and Mood of Recipients References 25 Complexity and the Popular References 26 Conclusion References Bibliography Index