Activity 4.3- Kitsch Value

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Clement Greenberg described Kitsch as “the epitome of all that is spurious in the life of our times,” (1939) a line that captures his skepticism of its artistic legitimacy. For Greenberg, Kitsch is not simply low-quality art, it is ingenuine art. It fails to evoke genuine emotion, lacks depth, and serves as a substitute for what he considered to be true culture.

The word kitsch, derived from the German word for “trash,” is typically used to describe art that is inexpensive, mass-produced and sentimentally appealing. Emerging alongside the Industrial Revolution and a rapid transformation of society, Kitsch became a product designed for effortless enjoyment. Think of porcelain figures sold in souvenir shops and mass-printed landscapes from artists like Thomas Kinkade. These objects often imitate the effects of traditional art without demanding reflection or interpretation from their viewers. Unlike Avant-Garde art, which aims to challenge societal norms, requires effort on the part of the viewer, and it often immune from commercial pressure, Kitsch’s aim is marketability and uncomplicated enjoyment.

As society, technology, and systems of patronage evolved, so too did the role of the artist. A growing mass audience began clamoring for culture, and a new market emerged to satisfy that demand. Artists suddenly had options- they could create work that generated steady income but lacked personal investment, or they could pursue art as a deeply personal endeavor where the creative process mattered more than the final product.

This raises the enduring questions- does Kitsch art undermine our traditional beliefs of what art is and should be? Writing before the rise of Pop Art and the widespread acceptance of ready-mades, Greenberg argued that Kitsch would replace Avant-Garde art because it was easier to understand, easier to replicate, and more immediately gratifying to the masses. Ironically, the very movements that followed with art like Duchamp’s Fountain, Warhol’s soup cans, and Lichtenstein’s comic book panels, blurred the line between Kitsch and high art. Embracing the imagery of popular culture, viewers were forced to reconsider whether Kitsch was the enemy of high art.

Looking at art from the last century, we can easily find examples of pure Kitsch as well as works that blur the lines between Kitsch and high art like stated before. A Friend in Need by Cassius Marcellus Coolidge is a quintessential example of Kitsch. With its humorous, anthropomorphic dogs gathered around a poker table, the painting embodies the sentimental charm and easy amusement that define the genre.  Coolidge produced an entire series in this style, and these images have been reproduced endlessly, appearing in films, television shows, ads, books, and even novelty items. Whether or not Coolidge intended such saturation, his work has become instantly recognizable. Encountering it often brings an immediate smile, which is precisely the kind of response Greenberg associated with Kitsch.

On the other end of the spectrum, an artist like Banksy complicates the distinction between art and Kitsch. Banksy’s name has become synonymous with challenging societal norms, a quality Greenberg praised. His street art has criticized capitalism, war, religion and even the art world itself. Yet despite this, his work has become widely accessible and heavily commercialized. His pieces are photographed, shared online, and reproduced on posters and t-shirts. Whether he welcomes this or not, his art now circulates in ways that resemble the mass-produced appeal of Kitsch.

In the end, these examples show that the boundary between Kitsch and high art is far more complicated than we or Greenberg believed. Contemporary art shows that it can challenge norms, be thought provoking and still become widely reproduced and commercially successful. Rather than undermining, the coexistence of Kitsch, Avant-Garde and everything in between compels us to reconsider what art is meant to do and who it is meant for.



 

 

Sources

EBSCO Research Starters. (n.d.). Kitsch:Visual Art Genre. EBSCO. https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/visual-arts/kitsch-visual-art-genre.

Freeland, C. (2003) Art Theory: A Very Short Introduction. Oxford University Press.

Greenberg, C. (1939). "Avant‑garde and kitsch." Partisan Review, 6

The Aesthetics of Frozen Dreams. (n.d.). Academia.edu. https://www.academia.edu/41447947/The_Aesthetics_of_Frozen_Dreams.



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