Is this Art?

From time to time over here, in some Substack articles, there are discussions about Porn vs. Art. Don’t worry, I will not get into this specifically. Boring and superfluous, to me.

But what is this? Is this art?

This is a urinal. No doubts about it.

And not only that. There's good evidence that the guy actually stole the idea from a woman—Elsa von Freytag-Loringhoven. Actually, he stole many of her ideas, it seems. I think this is quite remarkable, in a bad way, I mean. A perfect summary of post-modernity. Money and fame — that’s what matters.

So, Mr. Duchamps did great. He achieved all. Total success.

This is a trend, a horrible one, more clear in the last 30 years but older, as this urinal from 1917 and a 1908 essay, Ornament and Crime, demonstrate. In it, Adolf Loos, a very influential European architect, declared ornament a crime.

Not just inefficient, but ethically wrong.

It’s like in the 1984 book, where language is being reduced, simplified, and stylized to the basics… astronaut food, just to keep you alive. Nothing more.
Beauty, good taste are superfluous.

That’s capitalist economics dictating all, including moral values.

Inefficiency is not tolerated.

Marriage? That’s like a business contract. Mitigate risks; your partner must "add", contribute to your financial prosperity. Your once beloved football/basketball teams are just franchises. They can move, change names, “rebranding” anytime. Profit reigns supreme.

People are pushed to not care. In an ultra-stimulated world, attention deficit skyrockets, which makes total sense. Almost a self-protection mechanism, but far from the best response.

What's interesting about art is that, in some way, it shows us who we are and leaves a message for the future. Like: 'See this? That's how those people processed life in their time.'

That said, we can do better than this, right? Some are.

Once more, none of this is new. But it will reach a peak—a bottom—someday. Sooner rather than later. Then collapse for good.

And beauty will reign supreme again.

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Cross the Gate …