Art for art’s sake

To the Editor,

There was a time when art involved watercolours or oils only and everyone knew what art was and none of it involved a paper shredder.

“I don’t know much about art but I know what I like” is often said and maybe it is as true as “Art is in the eye of the beholder.”

An artist created a piece of supposed art with 100 bills totalling $20,000, which then sold for $21,350, and although I could go to the bank and get the components of this work I don’t have the “artistic credibility” to create anything more than a pile of money.

Perhaps art should meet the criteria of making the world better in some way aside from the artist’s pocket. There are too many creations that confuse me, not just in terms of colour and appearance but also in terms of form and function.

The works by Banksy, whoever he/she/they are, is real art in form and often function as they carry messages to create discussion which may lead to a better world. The latest art event — the shredding of a piece at an auction — has a lot to offer to the world of art and to the purchaser as apparently the shredded piece is worth more than the original version.

It is probably best not to try shredding other art pieces as not everybody in the arts community will a accept this approach. Dennis Fitzgerald Melbourne, Australia