Have you heard about the new reality show, "Work of Art: The Next Great Artist"? Yes, my friends, the world of reality TV has decided to pay attention to the visual arts. This is a reality show which aims to unearth the talent of a new artist. I just found out about this show on Edward Winkleman's recent blog post, and I don't quite know what to think. On one hand, I think it might give exposure and generate more interest in non-traditional forms of art. By and large, and I would say that the general public defines art as traditional mediums like painting and sculpture. Perhaps something like this show would help people to appreciate relatively newer types of art, such as performance art, video art, etc. It looks like the artists dabble in lots of different mediums (as indicated on their bios), but I wonder what types of art they will be allowed/required to create on the show.
I also wonder how this show will dispel or encourage the myth of the "artist as genius." Will these people seem like everyday Joe Schmoes, or will the producers want to play up the angle that these artists are unique, creative individuals that are different from ordinary people? Will viewers accept it if "the next great artist" is just the girl next door? It will be interesting to see.
Do you think this show could have an effect on the art world?
If you're interested, you can see a sneak preview here:
