Aili Lin 20'
(Magazine)
This article is written by Katy Kelleher and published by the Paris Review. Its intended audience
could be everyone, including the ones appreciate or depreciate “ugly artwork”. In this article, the
author tries to defend the ugly artwork. She claims that using the word “ugly” to describe this kind of
work is not accurate since ugliness implies a sense of immortality. Also, research has shown that beautiful
works and ugly works can light up the same part of the brains of the viewers, which proves that both of them
can have the same effect on the view. Beautiful or ugly, all of these works can spark the “A-ha” moment, a
sudden feeling that we can feel others’ feelings. Both of these works function equally well: stimulate sympathy
and empathy of the views so that they can understand the emotions under the artwork. What’s more, ugly
paintings can express the idea that literature cannot present. Ugly artworks can reflect social issues that literature
cannot cover, using as “shorthand for spiritual damnation”. Today, ugly artworks are more acceptable. Their
ugliness is not the only thing views will focus. Instead, it’s viewed as a mean “to rebel against the conventions
of the artwork” and “to reveal something about the world”.
could be everyone, including the ones appreciate or depreciate “ugly artwork”. In this article, the
author tries to defend the ugly artwork. She claims that using the word “ugly” to describe this kind of
work is not accurate since ugliness implies a sense of immortality. Also, research has shown that beautiful
works and ugly works can light up the same part of the brains of the viewers, which proves that both of them
can have the same effect on the view. Beautiful or ugly, all of these works can spark the “A-ha” moment, a
sudden feeling that we can feel others’ feelings. Both of these works function equally well: stimulate sympathy
and empathy of the views so that they can understand the emotions under the artwork. What’s more, ugly
paintings can express the idea that literature cannot present. Ugly artworks can reflect social issues that literature
cannot cover, using as “shorthand for spiritual damnation”. Today, ugly artworks are more acceptable. Their
ugliness is not the only thing views will focus. Instead, it’s viewed as a mean “to rebel against the conventions
of the artwork” and “to reveal something about the world”.
In this article, Kelleher tries to defend “ugly artwork” from various perspectives, and I think it provides me with
some new angles that I cannot come up before, especially the research on the part of the brain that would light up
when looking at different artworks. Showing the same effect beautiful and ugly artworks have on human brains,
Kelleher disputes the argument that ugly artworks are unnecessary because she successfully demonstrates that both
of them are the same. More importantly, Kelleher brings up a point in her article that shows the necessity of ugly artworks.
The author shows the dark side of society by using ugly artworks to evoke the unsettling feelings of the viewers. This kind
of feeling can prompt the viewers to contemplate the issue more seriously. My original question for my research is that “why
are there so many disgusting images in contemporary art”. This article is important because it provides me with abundant evidence
for this question. For my future research, I would like to confirm this evidence to see their validity. Also, I want to research the power
of beautiful and ugly artworks to see which artworks have a bigger impact on the viewers. Furthermore, since ugly artworks play
such an important role in contemporary art, I want to figure out if there is another way to describe its style instead of describing it as ugly.
some new angles that I cannot come up before, especially the research on the part of the brain that would light up
when looking at different artworks. Showing the same effect beautiful and ugly artworks have on human brains,
Kelleher disputes the argument that ugly artworks are unnecessary because she successfully demonstrates that both
of them are the same. More importantly, Kelleher brings up a point in her article that shows the necessity of ugly artworks.
The author shows the dark side of society by using ugly artworks to evoke the unsettling feelings of the viewers. This kind
of feeling can prompt the viewers to contemplate the issue more seriously. My original question for my research is that “why
are there so many disgusting images in contemporary art”. This article is important because it provides me with abundant evidence
for this question. For my future research, I would like to confirm this evidence to see their validity. Also, I want to research the power
of beautiful and ugly artworks to see which artworks have a bigger impact on the viewers. Furthermore, since ugly artworks play
such an important role in contemporary art, I want to figure out if there is another way to describe its style instead of describing it as ugly.
Kelleher, Katy. “Ugliness Is Underrated: In Defense of Ugly Paintings.” The Paris Review,
31 July 2018,
https://www.theparisreview.org/blog/2018/07/31/ugliness-is-underrated-in-defense
-of-ugly-paintings/.