Painting of Conceptual Symbolism as Mass Media
It is possible to speak long about specifics of different forms of the fine arts, its various stylistic receptions and conceptual messages. However, we can see a convincing tracing of similarity between pictorial works and media files. This similarity this rather deep and is also shown not only from the point of historical or art view, but also from the point of view of functionality - as all these files are finally the forms of promotional products, some kind of advertising of goods or services.
What is curious, so is that this utilitarian purpose was present always at all the works – from masterpieces of antiquity and geniuses of the Middle Ages to book graphics of our contemporaries. Sometimes promotional products was just the point of view of the author that does not change the fact at all.
The question, which always arises at painting discussion consists in opinions why painting is considered isolated from other media? Or it makes sense to unite painting, including pictures, texts, exhibitions - in the form of a uniform subject - with all mass media. Respectively, conceptual painting, being similar to manifestations of mass media to extent of mixture, cannot be an independent genre of creativity. And considering that all manifestations of painting to a certain degree are conceptual, will not make big work to refer today any art to mass media where it and have to be deservedly.
But if to accept the point of view of adequacy of works of art to media goods, then it is necessary to assume, as the manufacturer of these goods, - the artist or the actor – also participates in implementation of its product in the national and global markets.
However here not everything is so simple as the consumer cannot directly estimate degree of usefulness of the offered products and has to base the conclusion on experts. These people, figuratively speaking priests and interpreters whose role in art, especially in conceptual art, promptly grows - not only explain to semiliterate public of imagination of authors, but also take out judgment of the value of works of art, replacing at the same time an extensive discussion with narrow arrangements, and replacing public discourse with institutional critique.
Thus, according to Benjamin Buchloh, this doubtful triumph of conceptual art conducts to the fact that in the absence of any concrete visual qualities lack of any (art) manual specifics as criteria of distinction, all traditional norms of aesthetic judgment - taste and appreciation – might come to low level. The fact that aesthetic definition becomes on the one hand, a question of the oral arrangement, and, on the other hand, that function of the aesthetic importance is shown as a result of a discourse of official structures, but not of tastes.