Brilliant. And while written in the 1970’s, still entirely applicable today.

Anyone who is involved with art or the artistic industries needs to read this set of astute observations of Tom Wolfe.

I certainly don’t share his exact tastes in which art he dislikes or likes, but his thesis is absolutely right-on - about the shift where the words written about art became more important than making an artifact/object - and the degree to which it is art depends on the individual observing it.

To complement his wording, my son’s experience with a “top of class” art school was they were a philosophy school accompanying their philosophy with a patina of visuals.

Crítica excelente sobre los caóticos 45-75 en la industria artística estadounidense

This very short book was AWESOME.

Tom Wolfe describes the beginnings and twist and turns of modern art through the 20th century up to the 70’s with his wit and wisdom and great writing.

This was a good book too, for the plain and simple fact that it validated me. Validated my long held country bumpkin insecurity that I just didn’t “get it” when it came to art. And it healed that insecurity exposing the process and ginned-up popularity of each new Art style/theory.

The stories/characters/art in the book remind me of the childhood fable “The Emperor Who Had no Clothes” as each new art style came on the seen and no one “got it” but that was the key, and if you didn’t “get it” , you were basically on the outs.. so everyone jumped on board.

The book had a quotable line on virtually every page.
Great book!!!

Tom Wolfe is one of the best writers in history. In the Top 3 for great American writers (in no particular order they are: Ernest Hemingway, Tom Wolfe, Jack London).

This was written in 1975 when 'modern contemporary art' hit its stride. Now modern art is on a much stupider level that I realize the modern art scam isn't anything new. Like many things, it's an old scam dating back decades.

Wolfe lays out how modern art came into being. I believe it's a progression like Maslow's Pyramid when people have enough money and comfort absurd decadence creeps in - 'achieving' that self-actualization and transcendence!

Today modern 'art' is on an entirely new level of cacapoop since 1975 The Painted Word. A good one was a guy left a brown bag crumpled in a corner in a modern art museum and the brainwashed group think/suspend disbelief/sheeple stood around it taking photos like it was "art" when it was literally trash. True story (search it).

Wolfe brings to light how contemporary art totally exists and is reliant on the modern art industry - critics, art dealers etc who created the 'theory' of modern art. The theory is what's more important than the art - you must have both which is absurd. So unlike a movie, book, general product where the average consumer determines success and popularity, modern art doesn't need the common man's approval. Modern art is NOT a democracy. It's value and significance is decided by the art 'weavers' (a take from The Emperor's New Clothes). Modern art needs an 'interpreter' to be understood. Without their 'words' the 'art' may have no meaning or more important - value.

Classic Wolfe making fun on the self-important people who are always delusional.