Yuki Terase, founding partner of Art Intelligence Global, goes head-to-head with Angelle Siyang-Le, director of Art Basel Hong Kong, in this month’s great debate
Can art ever be bad?
Yuki Terase: YES
“Yes, but the standards of what is good or bad art don’t hinge upon technique, skill or the quality of realist representation—abstract art, pop art, conceptual art and performance art saw to the abolishment of such criteria from the Renaissance era. In fact, throughout the course of history, many great artists were initially criticised and even condemned by their contemporaries, only to later be recognised as geniuses. Thus we cannot rely on institutions, academics or curators to define excellence or incompetence in art. Neither can the market be an indicator of what is good or bad. Even as an adviser, I do not subscribe to the idea that art only holds value if it is marketable or in demand. For me, art that is not authentic is bad. Art that doesn’t offer anything—neither challenging the status quo with original ideas nor contributing authentic expression or communication—is bad. Good art often transforms something in the viewer; bad art does not.”
Angelle Siyang-Le: NO
“Art can’t be bad. What fascinates me about art is its subjectivity. Philosopher Immanuel Kant’s Theory of Taste says that when we decide whether something is beautiful or not, we make the decision based on its feeling of pleasure or pain. This is a systemic approach to aesthetics, but even then, Kant suggests that the understanding of beauty is based on intellectual and moral interest. There is no simple answer to this question, as tastes evolves with time and experience. My personal journey of taste has evolved over the past ten years, since I first joined Art Basel Hong Kong. Each year, I have had the privilege of viewing a vast number of artworks over the course of a week. The experience has widened my horizons and forced me to challenge my previous judgement. I have learnt to enjoy art through my engagement with the subject and the imagination it triggers within me. I wish to bring a more diverse experience to the Hong Kong audience through the Art Basel platform, and I wish for our audiences to embrace the feelings art brings us‚ whether good or bad.”