Reaction: The Mona Lisa Curse

Further to my post on Monday, and having watched the programme earlier tonight, The Mona Lisa Curse was, as expected, a thoughtful and insightful critique of the impact of celebrity culture and commercialisation on contemporary art ranging from Warhol to - more recently, and of particular relevance considering this recent auction - Hirst. Veteran art critic Robert Hughes puts forth a coherent and engrossing argument in which he states that 'art as a commodity' has painted over 'art as art'. In this portrayal of modern decadence it is claimed that the 'cheque book is fast becoming the guide to artistic merit', with the consequence that art is fast becoming something to be owned rather than appreciated. Indeed, Hughes highlights the transformation of the Mona Lisa 'from artwork into celebrity icon' as the stand-out symbol of said degradation.