Most Wanted Paintings

January 6, 2005 12:48 PM

The Most (and Least) Wanted Paintings. Design by committee: Artists Vitaly Komar and Alex Melamid (see prior) used a professional market research group to survey aesthetic preferences and art tastes in 14 countries. The results are the theoretically most desired paintings for each nation.
posted by me3dia (40 comments total)

You may also be interested in their "People's Choice Music" project.
posted by me3dia at 12:49 PM on January 6, 2005 [1 favorite]

Heh.. I find it interesting that 70% of the "most" wanted paintings are landscapes with water and a tree on the right. And 70% of the "least" wanted paintings are abstract.

Pop culture wants it's stuff regurgitated and spit out, thank you very much.
posted by psychotic_venom at 12:52 PM on January 6, 2005

useless, meaningless survey producing useless, meaningless results......

I'm guessing that there really isn't any country specific answer to the "most/least wanted" picture question. I'm also guessing that whoever determined those ugly landscapes fit the profile was on drugs......!
posted by HuronBob at 12:56 PM on January 6, 2005

I appreciate that George Washington is in the US one.
posted by smackfu at 1:01 PM on January 6, 2005

What's wrong with Italy? Their least desired painting rocks! Where can I get a copy?
posted by Robot Johnny at 1:02 PM on January 6, 2005

What is inherently less "reguritated" about representational art vs abstract art? To me, and to the extent this study is in any way accurate, it tells me the masses want their art to be representational and have not swallowed what art "experts" tell them is good (or what is art, even). Very encouraging for this representational art fan.
posted by mw at 1:02 PM on January 6, 2005

What is inherently less "reguritated" about representational art vs abstract art?

Should be: Why is abstract art inherently less "regurgitated" than representational art?
posted by mw at 1:05 PM on January 6, 2005

Wow, half of the "most wanted" paintings look like Thomas Kinkade!
posted by u.n. owen at 1:06 PM on January 6, 2005

Seems to me that the U.S. preference in color tone is almost certainly set (or "normalized") by our vast exposure to television.
posted by rushmc at 1:06 PM on January 6, 2005

useless, meaningless survey producing useless, meaningless results......

Um... the study is kind of a joke (as in a funny joke). Actually, it is riotously hilarious and the artists are total geniuses. For example, read this totally awesome interview or the endlessly humorous letters and commentary..

Related: Komar and Melamid are 'pataphysicians.

I remember coming across this a couple of years ago. It is both a) incredibly funny and b) kind of thought-provoking, since the artists really do feel that this work is art and may be right. I think the best way to take the survey is half-seriously; it's really about the meaninglessness of surveys.
posted by josh at 1:08 PM on January 6, 2005

This is actually a travelling exhibition that came through the Minnesota Museum of American Art several years back. Conceptually, it was interesting to thing about what they were trying to get at. The execution of the final product was weak in my opinion, though. The paintings were, well, poorly painted.
posted by ScottUltra at 1:10 PM on January 6, 2005

Well, whaddya know. Everybody likes lakes, trees, deer and patriotism.

Where can I order mine?
posted by chundo at 1:15 PM on January 6, 2005

Yes, but they were poorly painted on purpose.

I think it was Marcel Duchamp (though maybe it was Alfred Jarry, inventor of 'pataphysics--I'm not sure) who did something along the lines of dropping a one-yard long string from a window, and then making a 'yardstick' that followed the contours of the fallen string (kind of like in an S shape) for the purposes of measuring the length of said string. This is "the science of imaginary solutions," as Jarry called it.

Anyway, the point is that no execution of the paintings would have made them good. The method (statistical analysis -> paintings) is flawed to begin with. But even if the paintings aren't good, they can still be part of the art project.
posted by josh at 1:15 PM on January 6, 2005

the "regurgitated" was referring to the similarity in all the paintings for all the different countries... that's all. No beef about abstract vs. representational art.
posted by psychotic_venom at 1:16 PM on January 6, 2005

There's a great essay on Komar and Melamid in Ian Frazier's collection of essays "Nobody better, better than nobody", if I remember correctly. It has a great recollection by the artists of their staging of a conceptual art 'happening' in the USSR in the late 70's.
posted by Swampjazz! at 1:18 PM on January 6, 2005

Also, it is helpful to know that as a nation, only Holland favors abstraction
posted by Swampjazz! at 1:20 PM on January 6, 2005

Got to see this exhibit a few years ago--it really is brilliant. An argument against the free market, to say the least.
posted by bardic at 1:31 PM on January 6, 2005

I think it's the influence of Amsterdam.
posted by Bugbread at 1:39 PM on January 6, 2005 [1 favorite]

Komar and Melamid taught a seminar class here at UC Berkeley as visiting artists a couple years ago that I was lucky enough to find out about and attend. Those guys are hillarious, nobody has a better sense of humor when the art world is concerned. Their work operates simultaneously as biting satire and conceptually deep work.

It is interesting to note that the previously discussed elephant art project and this most wanted painting project are related by an old folk tale about an elephant who wants to make a painging for all of his friends, they all tell him what they want to see in the painting, but are all disappointed by the final result.

Also, these guys are fun as hell to hang out with. Melamid and I went out see Eek-a-mouse at Slim's in San Francisco one night. Good times
posted by garethspor at 1:48 PM on January 6, 2005

I'm with Robot Johnny. Does that make us Bizarro-Italians? Even though I like Italian food?
posted by adamrice at 1:49 PM on January 6, 2005

Weren't they the ones that did that song about Labor Day? I love that song.
posted by Alison at 1:51 PM on January 6, 2005

Alison: Yep, they did that 'holiday shopping' song with the catchy "La-bor Day" chorus.

It was linked at the top of this thread, but here's a more direct link to their
"People's Choice" music CD:

People's Choice
posted by AsYouKnow Bob at 2:06 PM on January 6, 2005

Lovely, absolutely lovely. I met these two at a printshop on Vinalhaven Island in Maine years ago. They were making prints based on fake wood paneling available from the Sears catalog. I also remember an absolutely perfect soviet style painting of Stalin tripping on his sheets as he was getting out of bed in the morning. I also remember a very large vodka hangover the next day. ohhh
posted by R. Mutt at 2:06 PM on January 6, 2005

I realize they were painter poorly on purpose, josh. I guess I didn't get through my whole point when I commented.

I think the final outcome of the project would have been stronger if they had these executed badly conceptualized paintings in a manner that didn't make it look like a high school project. I don't think they were giving the viewer enough credit -- I think even the average viewer at one of the venues that hosted this show would have a critical enough eye to recognise that even though the pictures were (hypothetically) well-painted, they still are tripe. By poorly executing a poorly conceptualized image, they are beating us over the head with their results.

Unfortunately, the typical viewer at the Dia Center (or even the MMAA, as in my case) are not even your "average" art patrons. They're generally more educated in the arts than the masses walking through a "major" museum on any typical day. I really hate when "the artist" underestimates their audience -- it's a pet peeve of mine.
posted by ScottUltra at 2:20 PM on January 6, 2005

R. Mutt, I salute your username.

I think the title of the project is a bit misleading. It's not really that the paintings are the Most Wanted, but rather contain elements that are most wanted by the surveyed group. Anyone who's tried to satisfy all of a large group of people can tell you that this rarely leads to a compelling product. Hence the derision, "design by committee."
posted by me3dia at 2:38 PM on January 6, 2005

Yeah, every country seems to favor a landscape depicting some vista typical of their homeland.... every country but Holland. Yep, that's abstract, alright. Why would they be so different than, say, Denmark?

On Preview: Yeah, that design by committee thing is apparent; each of the paintings (except Holland and Italy) have essentially the same scene, with [insert national icon here].
posted by Doohickie at 2:53 PM on January 6, 2005

The Least Wanted Music was brilliant. Where else can you hear an operatic soprano rapping about Wittgenstein over an accordion solo?
posted by squidlarkin at 2:55 PM on January 6, 2005

I need to hear this music. Their description of "least likable music" had pretty much all the things I like in music: odd instruments, odd lyrics, signature changes, volume changes, and epic length.

every country but Holland. Yep, that's abstract, alright. Why would they be so different than, say, Denmark?

I repeat: Amsterdam.
posted by Bugbread at 3:00 PM on January 6, 2005

I wish I knew enough about art to know that all of those were very badly painted.

Technique aside, I found it interesting that I generally preferred the "least favorite" paintings over the "most favorite" paintings even though I'm by no means an anti-representationalist or a pro-abstractionist. In fact, psychootic_venom's comment, and comments like his, really rub me the wrong way.

What's really interesting are the Dutch. I liked their "least favorite" painting more than I liked any of the other representiational paintings, which is odd. But I really like their favorite more than the other abstract paintings, too. So, it seems to me that the Dutch must have very elevated taste.

And this is almost true of the Italians, too. I don't like so much their least favorite, but I do like it more than many of the other paintings, least and most alike. But their "most favorite" appeals to me quite a bit.

So. In this survey, there's something odd about the Dutch and the Italians. And, um, am I wrong in claiming that historically, at least, it's these two countries that have, far more than the others, a distinguished cultural history with paintings?

The least favored painting, in my opinion, on that page? Either the American or Danish "most favorite".

And, um, I don't know what to make of the German paintings, least and most, at all. I don't like either of them. But they're both in a class all their own. Germans are weird.
posted by Ethereal Bligh at 3:11 PM on January 6, 2005

They have a sample of the most wanted and most unwanted songs in the 'Numbers' episode of This American Life (Act 2). They also talk about the paintings.
posted by Alison at 3:11 PM on January 6, 2005

Well, at least bad visual art doesn't confront you as 1000 watts from every asshat sedan or SUV that passes by.

I agree these guys are geniuses, and that this is a good post, even if TAL cover this years ago.
posted by ParisParamus at 3:16 PM on January 6, 2005

(or asshat iPod wearers)
posted by ParisParamus at 3:17 PM on January 6, 2005

Paris: You're confronted by operatic soprano rapping about Wittgenstein over an accordion solo at 1000 watts from sedans and SUVs?
posted by Bugbread at 3:30 PM on January 6, 2005

"Theoretically most desired" reveals the problem with this experiment. Desire (aesthetic response) isn't theoretical, is it?

"Happy that Art, admired in general,
Is always actually personal."

from Marianne Moore's "In the Public Garden"
posted by Julie at 3:51 PM on January 6, 2005

"What are years?"
posted by bardic at 5:06 PM on January 6, 2005

Landscapes with water, a tree (probably native to the nation in question) to the right, an outcrop of some kind of rock to the left... easily-recognized people and (again, likely native) animals taking center? That's great.

People like art they can 'get' instantly.

(I liked Denmark's least-wanted painting.)
posted by cmyk at 5:17 PM on January 6, 2005

I thought the most interesting question was when the various nations were asked whether they would choose a painting they liked or the value of the painting in cash. Only majorities of Americans and the Dutch picked the money. And the smallest number of people picking money were Kenyans.
posted by CunningLinguist at 5:43 PM on January 6, 2005

I got the biggest kick from the China's ideal painting. It has a portrait of Mao in it. Not Mao, but a portrait. Just great.

Fantastic post, me3dia, thanks.
posted by [expletive deleted] at 8:33 PM on January 6, 2005

But I really like their favorite more than the other abstract paintings, too. So, it seems to me that the Dutch must have very elevated taste.

Or.... maybe you have the same sense of bad taste with the Dutch? ;- P
posted by Doohickie at 9:24 PM on January 6, 2005

Damn, R. Mutt, I wish you had links to go with those descriptions. 'Cause this is pretty damn good . . .

I also remember an absolutely perfect soviet style painting of Stalin tripping on his sheets as he was getting out of bed in the morning.

. . . and this is just brilliant . . .

They were making prints based on fake wood paneling available from the Sears catalog.

And I'm mostly with Robot Johnny and adamrice, except that I thought Italy's Most and Least Wanted were Nos. 1 & 2 (in that order) of the whole bunch. Though China's Most Wanted could've taken best in show by a country mile if it'd only had a unicorn with a thought bubble that read "Why?"

And overall I'm giddy about this post and I applaud me3dia for bringing this project and these artists to my attention.
posted by gompa at 1:16 AM on January 7, 2005