Melissa‘s challenge is slightly complex this week. She proposed a few artworks by the same artist as picture prompts and asked poets to write a poem expressing the thoughts the picture of their choice evoked. After writing the poem, she suggested we read up about the artist and see if it changed our feelings in respect of our chosen artwork. You can read about the artworks and join the prompt here: https://dversepoets.com/2025/02/18/sep%c2%b7a%c2%b7rate/

I chose this artwork:

My song parody below is intended to be humorous and take the ‘mick’ out of some of the pretentiousness and snobbishness in some art circles. It doesn’t necessary reflect my views on art as I do produce some non-realistic, surrealist work myself.

Why can’t artists choose to create objects of beauty?

Why can’t artists choose to create objects of beauty?

Still life paintings so realistic they almost smell fruity

Why add to the ugliness in this world?

Depicting on paper the endless hatred that unfurls

***

Just look at it

Misery articulated in every line

Flying in the face of all teachings of the Divine

***

You might say I picked a poor example

But did I?

What’s the purpose of a banana taped to a board? Note 1

An over privileged buys it for a price few could afford

How pretentious to call that mockery art

***

I wouldn’t pay a single cent for that

In fact, if it was a gift, I’d send it back

I’d view it as an insult to my sensibilities

Why can’t artists focus on depicting happiness and joy?

***

You’d think purchasers would want to view art with pleasure

Something delightful to brighten up their day

But no, they prefer to wallow in the hideous

Or even worse the clearly sad and piteous

***

Of the banana, I’m not a fan

But it’s better than a painted beer can Note 2

Really, what has art come to?

I’d much rather look at artworks produced by kindergarteners

***

Squiggly line drawings – I ask you what sort of art is that?

It’s this sort of mediocracy that allows AI to compete

AI artworks easily as good as those of modern art elite

Why can’t artists focus on depicting happiness and joy?

***

The attributes of a good piece of art should be well-known

You shouldn’t have to look at splodges and try to guess

Exactly what the intent was behind the colourful mess

An artwork’s content should clearly show what it is

***

As soon as an artist picks up his pencil and starts to work

Viewers should gasp in wonder at the work in progress

That rarely happens with much of the art that does the rounds

Looking at it turns the viewers smiles to frowns

***

A good example is modern surrealist art

What on earth is its purpose to a viewer

It makes me want to poke out my eyes with a skewer

There are even times when art completely disappears

***

Disappears … What is non-art? Why use the word art

In connection with an object that is something else entirely

I can see a photograph is a photograph without any enquiry

Surely everyone can see a stone’s a stone

***

Artists go to school to learn techniques and styles

Just as clothes designers must learn all about textiles

Why do they throw everything they learned away?

I think their attempts to be different lead them astray

***

There is nothing better than a beautiful landscape

There is no need the natural world to reshape

But create a realistic picture and you’re criticised

Why can’t artist focus on depicting happiness and joy?

Note 1: The banana line is based on this article https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/that-viral-banana-duct-taped-to-a-wall-it-just-sold-for-6-2-million-180985523/

Note 2: The beer can line refers to this article: https://abcnews.go.com/International/beer-artwork-accidentally-trashed-museum-worker/story?id=114588747#:~:text=A%20museum%20in%20the%20Netherlands%20has%20recovered%20an,of%20them%20during%20his%20shift%2C%20museum%20officials%20said.

Reading up about the artist didn’t change my dislike of his work, although in saying that I did find this face painting compelling in a dark way. In fact, it made me wonder even more why he is famous. So, my song above remains unchanged. Do you recognise the rhythm and flow? I’ll give you a hint – I went to see My Fair Lady on Sunday evening and the music is still stuck in my head.