The articles address the discovery and acceptance of modernist art. Both articles display the fluid and changing attitudes regarding this specific genre of art. However, the success of these two different cases is contrasting.
“People would look at the work of the Arab modernists and say, ‘This is really pastiche. They’re just copying Picasso or Braque'" (Andrew Russeth 2), here is one of the common themes in the articles. In the world of art, controversies still exist over the validity and value of works: "It was not modernity and tradition that faced each other in the courtroom in 1878, but two versions of modern art" (Artists vs Critics 4). Whistler is recognized for his impact on modernist art, but nonetheless he is recognized in a rather unsatisfactory way: "Whistler is always going to be, essentially, a character" (Artists vs Critics 1). However, the modernist works found in the middle east are currently gaining attention. Whistler may have been simply a 'character', but the discovery of an entirely different modernist culture has seen more success: “Only ten years ago, or even five years ago, you could buy a piece for $5,000 or $10,000, because only a small group of intellectuals loved his work,” she said. “But now his prices are at $50,000, $80,000, $100,000" (Andrew Russeth 8). Art remains an abstract concept, and the way the public reacts to art is largely unpredictable. This is especially true with modernist and abstract concepts that break out of the realm of what most people consider 'regular art'.
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