Modern Art has often been mis-understood by the general public. For instance the color theory being explored by Paul Klee with his seemingly elementary style shapes might be perceived as an artist that lacks drawing skills. Frank Stella's work often provokes comments like" those are just squares. How is that art?" Most people would not know he was studying the juxtaposition of color and their effects on each other. Picasso began as an academic artist who painted photo real scenes. He chose to abstract for a purpose. Anyone can appreciate abstract art and modern art as long as there seems to be some reasoning behind it. However, when art, such as Jackson Pollocks action paintings appear, it causes the public to doubt the validity of art all together. Granted the viewer can imagine how hard Pollock threw the paint or whether he was sitting or standing. Does anyone really care? Couldn't the same product be derived from handing a toddler buckets of paint? Is there color theory here? No. Are there design rules at play? No. Is there an argument, revelation or deeper meaning to bestow on the viewer? No. Did it require great skill? No. Is this process taught at university? No. Yet, this artist's work hangs in the gallery with great works from other modern artists, like impressionists and cubists, who all had great art talent and put deep thought into their work. This random canvas of thrown paint provides the public with just the right evidence that they need to scoff at all modern art. It undermines respect for all the research and long hours artists put in to create a beautiful modern work. The situation could be remedied if the artist shared some profound purpose behind his work. Unfortunately, watching a documentary and interview with Pollock will leave the audience non plussed. Even worse, when health reasons restricted him to a wheel chair, he was filmed telling other people to throw paint on a canvas and then called it his own. Really? Then in essence, the artist mind nor hands touched the canvas. One could easily call it a random act of blindness.
