On Kitsch

by Jan-Erik Ebbestad Hansen, Sindre Mekjan, Dag Solhjell

Kitsch has long been viewed as fine art's poor relation, aping its form while failing utterly to achieve its depth of meaning. In "On Kitsch" Odd Nerdrum and others discuss the meaning and value of kitsch in today's world, and its relationship to art. For the first time in this volume, English-speaking fans have the chance to read the writings of Odd Nerdrum, Norway's most famous contemporary artist, or kitch painter, as he would refer to himself. This printing of a variety of writings by Nerdrum and others includes speeches, essays, and humorous pieces such as "The Kitch Questionnaire," and "Kitch Aphorisms." This book is an opportunity to discover the thought process of one of the world's most unique and compelling artists.

Genres: Art

Paperback

First published January 1, 2000

Reviews

[Dwayne Hicks · Rating 4 out of 5]

I came across Nerdrum while watching as many Roger Scruton lectures as I could find. They are natural allies. Scruton regularly rails against modern art and its philosophy of ironic repudiation, and in this manifesto Nerdrum and his compatriots argue for the enduring necessity of classical figurative painting. More specifically, they set out to define a new superstructure that will exist in parallel to modern art and meet the unquenched needs of humanity. Scruton, then, defends representational art as the truly humane opponent of depraved modernism, while Nerdrum et. al. appropriate Kitsch as a Trojan horse to smuggle representationalism back into the Athens of the public gallery. (For Scruton fans, careful attention to context and definition is recommended). Another difference would be Nerdrum's vestigial Scandinavian paganism, against Scruton's distant respect for Western Judeo-Christianity. But the closing essay in this collection makes it clear that the Kitsch movement really lays blame on the ascetic hyper-Calvinist pietism of 18th century Northern Europe, rather than Christianity at large. In all, recommended for anyone interested in the neo-representationalist fight against the tyranny of the Curatoriat and their artists.

[Christopher Hutson · Rating 2 out of 5]

An old-fashioned art polemic, based around the idea of inverting the old Adorno/Greenberg heirarchy of art and kitsch. Odd Nerdrum and crew, at the time of writing, had not got the memo that art in the early 21st century is a glorious free-for-all: now that he's a successful painter, he still has some leftover persecution mania. This book is Nerdrum giving the finger to his percievedly hostile art world. As such, it's a good read, and brings up interesting questions about the definitions and relationship of art and kitsch,but take everything in this book with a grain of salt.

[Vince · Rating 4 out of 5]

Redundant in his message for distinction between kitsch and modern art.