Cut: Under a fascist regime, art is often the first to fall—but this particular lesson seems to have flown over some heads. In fact, there’s been a surge in callous behaviors towards contemporary art; for example, TikTokers visiting art museums to film themselves “posing” next to pieces they believe they could have made themselves.
However, history warns us that discrediting an entire artistic movement can have severe consequences. In the 1930s, for instance, the Nazi Party attempted to erase modern art—contemporary art’s chronological predecessor—and replace it with their own artistic movement by referring to modern art as “degenerate” and going to great lengths to censor and shift public view of it.
Indeed, barely four years after Hitler rose to power, the Nazis put on two contrasting art exhibits, one called “The Great German Art Exhibition” and the other “The Degenerate Art Exhibition,” according to Lucy Burns’ BBC article “Degenerate art: Why Hitler hated modernism.” The former displayed only art approved by Nazi officials, reflecting so-called Aryan ideology—idyllic German landscapes, nude portraits of blonde, blue-eyed women, and patriotic depictions of noble soldiers. The latter showed a collection of abstract or expressionist pieces carefully curated to evoke disgust from viewers. As historian Dr. Jonathan Petropoulos described it: “The pictures were hung askew, there was graffiti on the walls, which insulted the art and the artists, and made claims that made this art seem outlandish, ridiculous.”
As art reflects the values and attitudes of a society, those who hope to control or censor it often begin by slandering it—especially one already considered “progressive,” like modern or contemporary art—and slotting a more nationalist, reactionary movement in its place. So by devaluing contemporary art, we may be contributing to a modern-day fascist propaganda.
Moreover, to dismiss contemporary art as “meaningless” or “money laundering” is a dangerous overgeneralization. While the art industry has its fair share of scandals, reducing an entire genre to a money laundering scheme is demeaning to real artists.
Finally, rejecting contemporary art closes the mind to the benefits of art. If you walk into a gallery already convinced that all contemporary art is slop, then you won’t expect it to be better than slop. As viewers, we have an equal responsibility to enjoy a painting as the artist has to paint it. Art can vitalize thought and creativity, but it’s crucial to remain receptive.
