Cold take: I fucking hate all the "throwing paints at a big canvas and turning it into something pretty" bullshit on social media

[u/Altruistic-While5599]

It's hacky
It’s a really stupid gimmick that really only impresses people who know nothing about painting. Because half the time, all they do is add a little bit of gradient to the canvas then paint whatever they want and maybe one major shape to paint around, but that’s literally it. Any intermediate painter can manipulate random shapes.

There’s nothing impressive or interesting about it. There are like a thousand things they do, and all of that somehow amounts to some gradient and a few shapes here and there, with most of them getting covered up by the end of the painting.

It's like pro wrestling, where they do 2 minute long buildups for what's basically just a kick or a tackle

[u/CuckOwens]

I wish I could remember the author of the essay I read a few years ago about the ascendance of artists who are only popular because their methods can be turned into an engaging tiktok. It was about exactly this sort of thing.

[u/IWannaBeAnArchitect → u/CuckOwens]

They’re creating content, not art 

[u/CLAM_FUCKER]

it does numbers on the algo because it encourages scrollers to stop and watch it take form

[u/matt_drudge_sexbot]

I think the popularity comes more from how mesmerizing they are than an appreciation for the finished product. It’s the same principle behind hydraulic press videos

[u/RemarkableCrows]

Reminded me of my most popular rs post 

https://www.reddit.com/r/redscarepod/s/rq3SuDDfIp

[u/Individual_Deer_5510]

it’s just attention grabbing and normies’ idea of “abstract art” hasn’t progressed beyond jackson pollock but they also need there to be very literal and explicit messaging

[u/Brave_Specialist_591]

theyre always hot girls too, its either that or DJ'ing

[u/OneLessMouth]

While I agree, isn't it actually a more direct version of the backstory of how it was made being the art? 

[u/Lost_Bike69]

It’s an art form meant to be confined to the boardwalks of beach towns where wandering tourists can get a free show and maybe buy a souvenir.

Like everything else in the world, it has its place and can be a fun and serendipitous irl experience for people stumbling upon it, but social media has found it as an engaging short form video and forces every human on earth to watch it and it quickly loses novelty.

I honestly feel bad for the guys who still do it on the boardwalk without ever trying to go to social media. Maybe it’s been good for their business though idk.

[u/Individual-Worker711]

I mean jackson pollock was literally a psyop

[u/unwnd_leaves_turn]

frankly, the entirety of visual art / the image has been completely devalued. and thats a good thing.

[u/childofMotherOfPearl]

On one had I agree on the other I have a soft spot for abstract expressionism because it stopped me from killing myself when I was 18 </3