Bridget Riley, Blaze 3(1963)In the early 1960s, the emergence of Op Art(or optical/perceptual art) and minimalist works brought forth a number of arguments that are similar in tone to the skirmishes in art today. ArtForum have a fascinating article on the subject HERE. I don't agree with everything in the article, but it is thought provoking.
The separation between the "art world" and the "world world" is something I've never accepted. I believe that being a part of any cloistered "world" pushes artists to adopt aesthetics and beliefs that can hinder their work whether it be the established art community, a specialist online forum, or a closed community.
It's similar to nationalism. Once you've claimed a world as yours, the perspective changes to an us/them mentality that inevitably leads to a blinkered vision whether intended or not. It's also reminiscent of social groupings. Goths are seen as alternative in the culture at large but within this group, it can be extremely conservative in their own aesthetic.
So the solution? I'm still pursuing the answer, but one thing I believe is that a superior alternative to the mentality of us/them is me/them. In other words, think for yourself.
Links:
The Return of Op(Artforum)
Op Art Wiki
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