The hottest Art Criticism Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top Art & Illustration Topics

Why Is the Tesla Cybertruck So Depressingly Ugly?

The Honest Broker • 30021 implied HN points • 09 Nov 24
🎭️ Culture Design Aesthetics Art Criticism Cultural Commentary Society
  1. The design of the Tesla Cybertruck is seen as ugly and intimidating, making it resemble a military vehicle rather than a car. This choice of design seems to prioritize power over aesthetic beauty.
  2. Many modern designs, including the Cybertruck, lack the nuances and curves that characterize beautiful art and architecture. Instead, they often appear harsh and cold, making them feel less welcoming.
  3. The trend towards ugly and aggressive designs reflects a cultural shift towards asserting power and dominance in society, which affects creativity and art negatively.

When Hell freezes over and Tolstoy learns to skate

The Lifeboat • 195 implied HN points • 05 Feb 25
📚 Literature Classics Russian literature Art Criticism Cultural Commentary Philosophy
  1. The painting 'The Devil skating when Hell freezes over' has a confusing history, with two artists named John Collier possibly involved. It raises questions about the truth of art and how things can get mixed up over time.
  2. Leo Tolstoy enjoyed skating and even learned it in his 60s. He brought joy to children by teaching them how to skate, seeing it as a kind of spiritual enlightenment.
  3. The conversation about whether Tolstoy could be depicted as the Devil highlights the blend of reality and myth in Russian literature. It questions how society views good and evil and whether everyone has a bit of both within them.

AI Art Turing Test

Astral Codex Ten • 10048 implied HN points • 14 Oct 24
🎨 Art & Illustration Digital Art AI Art Visual Culture Art Criticism Interactive art
  1. There's an AI Art Turing Test happening, which is a fun way to see if you can tell the difference between AI-generated art and human-made art.
  2. Participants can take part by filling out a form, which takes about twenty minutes, and the results will be shared the following week.
  3. Don't peek at the comments until you're done with the test, as they might give away answers.

Imitation Games

Counter Craft • 542 implied HN points • 22 Nov 24
🎨 Art & Illustration Contemporary Art Art Theory Digital Art Art Criticism Visual Culture
  1. AI art can imitate famous styles, but it often lacks originality and creativity. Just copying styles doesn't make it as good as the original.
  2. People unfamiliar with art may prefer simple or amateur pieces over professional ones. Knowing more about art can help us appreciate it better.
  3. The value of art comes from creativity and effort, not just the ability to copy. Real art involves developing unique styles and perspectives.

Seeing is forgetting the name of the thing one sees

Austin Kleon • 2078 implied HN points • 07 Nov 23
🎨 Art & Illustration Contemporary Art Art history Art Criticism Visual Culture
  1. Robert Irwin was an artist who focused on creating experiences rather than traditional paintings. He wanted people to think about how they perceive the world.
  2. Lawrence Weschler wrote a book about Irwin called 'Seeing is Forgetting the Name of the Thing One Sees'. It dives into Irwin's ideas and art philosophy.
  3. David Hockney and Robert Irwin had different views on art, but their conversation through Weschler's writing shows how meaningful discussions can happen even without direct contact.
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Another clueless person attempts to defend generative AI "art"

Top Carbon Chauvinist • 19 implied HN points • 08 Sep 24
🎨 Art & Illustration Generative Art Art Criticism Contemporary Art Visual Culture Creative Process
  1. Generative AI art lacks true artistic intent because it does not involve a person making conscious creative decisions.
  2. Many famous art movements involved randomness, but they still required an artist's direction and vision.
  3. Using AI to create art can lead to results that are very different from what the person intended, making it hard to consider those results as true art.

Artt in the Age of Artifficial Intelligence

Donkeyspace • 18 implied HN points • 09 Dec 24
🎨 Art & Illustration Contemporary Art AI Art Art Theory Art Criticism Visual Culture
  1. Art is not just pretty pictures; it's a project deeply connected to its context and history. Each piece of art tells a story influenced by the time and place it was created.
  2. Many people struggle with modern and contemporary art because they don't want to engage with the complicated ideas behind it. They just want nice visuals to enjoy without any deep thinking.
  3. The relationship between art and public taste can be messy. People may like things not because they are genuinely good, but because they want to fit in or impress others.

Maculate Conception Redux

Gideon's Substack • 7 implied HN points • 23 Nov 24
🎨 Art & Illustration Contemporary Art Art market Art Criticism Conceptual Art
  1. The value of art can sometimes seem absurd, like a banana taped to a wall being sold for millions. It's more about the idea and the story than the physical object itself.
  2. Jasper Johns's artwork shows that art can be both conceptual and deeply emotional. His paintings connect abstract ideas with personal experiences, making them meaningful beyond just their visual appearance.
  3. Art should be seen as a gift to share and reflect upon, rather than just a product to be bought and sold. This perspective keeps the spirit of art alive and important.

Roundtrip Vietnam

The False Consensus Effect • 59 implied HN points • 16 Sep 23
🎨 Art & Illustration Art Criticism Paintings
  1. The artist received feedback from an art critic and professor, providing insights on different paintings.
  2. The artist's painting of an American flag was perceived as abstract commentary on American society and economics.
  3. Sharing art can evoke varied reactions - from admiration to finding paintings scary or thought-provoking.

Strange Fool Moon Business Week

The False Consensus Effect • 59 implied HN points • 19 Mar 22
🎨 Art & Illustration Art Criticism Visual art Creativity
  1. The art industry is often influenced by cronyism and corporate models, leading to a disconnect between artists and genuine artistic expression
  2. To combat cronyism in art, there are solutions like boycotting third-party galleries and fostering local artist communities
  3. Artists should focus on creating genuine connections, nurturing local art scenes, and prioritizing artistic expression over corporate influence

Reading, Watching 03.03.24

Unpopular Front • 10 implied HN points • 03 Mar 24
📚 Literature Essays Book Reviews Podcasts Art Criticism
  1. The author shares updates on their upcoming book and recent podcast appearance, urging readers to pre-order the book or support independent bookstores.
  2. The author reflects on the work and characteristics of English essayist William Hazlitt, highlighting his views on the French Revolution and his influence on art criticism.
  3. The post is tailored for paid subscribers, providing them with exclusive content and inviting new subscribers to join for access to such insights.

The Art Critic Part II

The False Consensus Effect • 39 implied HN points • 15 Jan 21
🎨 Art & Illustration Art Criticism Art market Social Commentary Creative Process
  1. The post discusses the events surrounding the Capitol riot on January 6, highlighting the insurrection, sedition, and impeachment of a U.S. President and lawmakers.
  2. The author reflects on the art world, critiquing the influence of money and power in auctions and the value of artwork compared to the intentions of the artists.
  3. Effective altruism and the debate around the impact of creating art versus supporting charitable causes are explored, with strong criticisms towards the idea of art being considered frivolous in the face of global suffering.

Mike Pepi: Bad Data

Do Not Research • 0 implied HN points • 15 Feb 22
🎨 Art & Illustration Art Criticism Digital Art Art history Cultural Institutions
  1. The rise of digital utopianism led to a belief that museums could be replaced by digital databases, but the implications and consequences of such a shift must be carefully considered.
  2. There is a concern that the push to digitize museums with AI, machine learning, and software interactions may not actually democratize the field, but rather empower tech companies at the expense of the museum's autonomy and role in art historical discourse.
  3. Questioning the need to 'datafy' museums highlights a larger trend of tech solutionism and the potentially negative impact of trying to make museum information utilitarian for platform capitalist corporations rather than prioritizing art history and the institution itself.

Fighting Against Generative Art is Futile

The Future of Life • 0 implied HN points • 11 Apr 23
🎨 Art & Illustration Generative Art Digital Art AI Art Art Criticism
  1. AI art is quickly getting better and could surpass human art. It's not worth arguing that human artists are always better because AI can improve rapidly.
  2. Generative art can create infinite variations based on a single prompt. This raises questions about what makes an artwork valuable when there are so many similar pieces.
  3. AI can make original art, not just copy others. Even though it learns from existing art, it can mix ideas in new ways, much like how writers use language.