Ask, and you shall receive

The other day I was having a conversation about contemporary artists. The problem was that I didn't know any, save one: Banksy. He stood out only because his art is nigh illegal.

Drunks, eccentrics, dandies... at least yesteryear's artists were out there in all their glory. You'd think that with modern media and technological outlets that the whole world would be a stage for some creative genius to flaunt themselves silly.

While it's true that these tools have given rise to a plethora of little known artists, doesn't this generation deserve a Pollock, Dali or Warhol?

And what of style? Cannibalize, masticate, regurgitate? Are we stuck with the same old list? All I see are bold shapes and solid colors; does that mean that the crowning achievement of modern art is the Vector? Has globalization and the pace of the world made the old time art movement a thing of the past? By the time it's cool, it's not cool (or it's advertising).

I shudder to think that advertising is the modern art movement, as in artists are moving into advertising so they don't starve. Quick! Keep up with trends...no time for your own work. YEAAH!

Well, back to my conversation about contemporary artists. I came across this article about Damien Hirst on art's top 100 list. Yeah, I've never heard of him. They don't describe his art at all, only how much he makes from it.

Jeff Koons and Banksy are mentioned in the article, too. Great! I know these names. Wait, what does Koons do? I had to look it up to refresh my memory.

Perhaps it's my Midwest location. The avant-garde, by definition, is on the fringe, and Ohio is no NY, CA, or UK.