The Bravo Network has been a cable television network that has introduced successful reality series that keep the ideas of innovation in mind. Some shows such as Project Runway, Double Exposure, Top Chef, Tabatha's Salon Takeover, to name only a few, are all types of art forms presented in a challenge-based series where competitors on a weekly basis are given the tasks to win the vote of the judges to make it to the next round. Ultimately, the competitors aspire be the last one standing and declared the series winner. Bravo has presented television shows that rethink the idea of art and it's mediums which can range from hair, runway design, and even food. However, based on the episode watched in Monday's class, Bravo's new televised series, Work of Art, stresses the point of innovation to where a piece of art is questioned to whether it is generated from genuine aesthetic talent or just an merely an absurd creation made for the reaction of America as an act, or televised performance.
The task that was given to the two groups was inspired by parkour but this was not seen in the finishing pieces. The groups both came up with two ideas from parkour -one being a playground theme and the other being "circles". Where they can connect the two confused me and I'm sure had many others scratching their heads.
Overall, despite a few individual successes, the overall group projects were complete choas. The artists, who actually deem themselves achieved artists (or act like it), percieve the notion that they can create essentially anything for the sake of an audience's reaction and they are safe for the next round. The talent that these competitors have is lost somewhere along the way when the idea of winning manifests into their craft, and leads them to create things that are more "interesting", "stirring" or "radical". Their unique talent, the talent that broght them onto the show in the first place, is compromised. One piece which upset me the most was from a man who tied a piece of hose around a bucket, painted it in colors of red and yellow and said it was inspired by New York City. I didn't see it, and I don' think anyone else did either.
Ah, the issue of compromise is a great one when it comes to art. When can the artist truly be the artist and when does the artist have to give in and make changes? Filmmakers have to do it. Musicians have to. Shouldn't artists do the same?
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