Most Overrated Artists

Renoir.

I have no idea how most artists are rated or by whom. Critics?

Thomas Kinkade

As terrible as Kinkade is, though, I can see why he appeals to Middle America

Taylor Swift

R4 Do you really know what people like there or that Kinkade is more popular there?

I'm from Ohio, r6, and have family of the demographic that Kinkade appeals to

I agree with Renoir. Of course his work is technically good, but some borders on schlock, at least to modern eyes.

R7 Okay you're excused, but believe me his stuff appeals to a lot of people in New England too, probably everywhere in the country.

R8 Impressionism was revolutionary and he was avant-garde. Not saying you shouldn't feel he was overrated, that's you opinion.

Banksy has a good scam running. Faux edginess for the hoi polloi.

Andy Warhol, Banksy

Wanksey.

Jeff Koons owns this thread. Talentless hack.

Basquiat had his moments.

Keith Haring.

I remember being a kid the first time I saw a Thomas Kinkade store at the mall and thinking it was pretty. It reminded me of Peter Pan, when they were flying overhead looking down at the houses with lights twinkling inside.

Separately, I know the woman who sold the record setting Basquiat a few years ago. It was from her parents collection and she inherited it. They bought it before he was famous.

THANK YOU, OP! Ever since I watched "The Andy Warhol Diaries" on Netflix, I've thought the same thing about Basquiat.

Julian Schnabel

I agree on Renoir. Much of it is pink Kitsch. It’s evident when you visit the Barnes Foundation in Philly.

Mondrian. Squares and rectangles with red green and blue wow. The French impressionist guy that did the paper cutouts. Henry Matisse.

"Kitsch" -- that's the word I was going for instead of "schlock." Thanks.

I don't see Matisse as overrated at all, but that's the interesting thing about threads like this. Someone disagrees with me about Renoir, I disagree with R19 about Matisse, and we all move on.

It's been popular to call Jean-Michel Basquiat "overrated". He was that easiest thing to hate: a beautiful young black man, an unpleasant personality and a drug addict who died young. He was appropriated by the vile Mary Boone crowd and over-exposed even as his personal demons passed ignored. Robert Hughes, the Australian art critic was particularly unkind to Basquiat. Three guesses as to why.

He had a solid graphic sensibility, and brought the boldness of street art into the gallery world in a way few had before. Was he a genius? No, but he was a talent.

He was overrated only because he was overpriced.

Jeff Koons? That's a different story, although the floral puppy and steel balloon dog are great public art for children. And Koons himself is so disarmingly charming it's hard to stay mad at him.

Damien Hurst is one solid gimmick - the dead shark - followed by endless years of over-produced shit. And he is a completely foul human being.

I wouldn't piss on the Saatchi Collection if it was on fire. Thankfully, it finally was.

[quote] Impressionism was revolutionary and he was avant-garde.

That's true (about Renoir), but in retrospect, his paintings look the most stodgy amongst that peer group.

Manet and Cezanne works have held up better.

The early works by Renoir are still amazing.

The Boating Party is a masterpiece of indolent, innocent decadence.

Renoir and his pink nudes.

Robert Motherwell

Robert Mapplethorpe

Jackson Pollack. Garbage person too.

Kincade wasn't overrated, he didn't rate at all, assuming we're talking about the art world and not proles from the burbs.

*Pollock* lol

Eve Plumb

Yes on Jackson PollOck.

Hunter Biden

That guy who wrote Naked Lunch

Arno Schmidt

Beuys.