Art as a Realisation of Deconstruction

A Deconstruction of PragerU’s video ‘Why is Modern Art so Bad’ and an investigation into how art embodies principles of deconstruction.

Abstract

Digital platforms have revitalised the right-wing argument that modern art not only lacks technical excellence but also contributes to the moral degeneration of society. In response to the purported immorality of modern art the right has exalted the virtues of classical Western art. Although this problematic position has been attacked from multiple academic angles, the technique of deconstruction is perhaps best suited to pull apart the faulty logic underpinning this argument. The aim of the following text is to employ the mechanism of deconstruction to prove that neither modern nor classical art can claim supremacy over the other. PragerU’s short five-minute videos are emblematic of the right’s ongoing attempt to increase the popularity of their positions through online engagement. Accordingly, the specific cultural text this essay will deconstruct is a PragerU video presented by Robert Florczak discussing his views on the state of modern art, entitled ‘Why is Modern Art so Bad?” (2014). The deconstruction concludes that since the value of an artwork is derived from the personal experiences of both its creator and audience, Florczak’s attempt to constrain the elements of artistic expression within an arbitrary hierarchy is not only immoral but damaging to the institution of art as whole.