Opinion | Hong Kong national security law: politicising Ai Weiwei’s artwork at M+ Museum only validates the artist’s relevance
- Beijing loyalists who wish to please the authorities should understand that art appreciation is personal by nature, and that controversial art feeds on controversy
One cannot explain art. Art is not a mathematical problem that can be broken down into black and white answers. The moment we rationalise and justify art, it loses its meaning.
Art is supposed to provoke emotions. An artist’s objective is to connect with the perceiver, striking inner emotions that will resonate even days after the work is perceived. This also explains why artists love controversies.
Often, art valuation is not in its material content but its popularity and the waves it creates. The more attention received, the higher the potential resale value. If an artwork made of toilet paper rolls can sell for more than a gold coin, one would grab the toilet paper rolls first in a heist. Potential resale value is critical to how the art and collectible markets function.
While it is still unknown whether the act experienced a genuine technical malfunction during the shredding, the half-shredded artwork was created live with the new title Love Is In The Bin and worth significantly more. Critics praised Banksy not on the artwork itself but the attention the spectacle drew.
