I’m reading The Fountainhead right now and Ayn Rand’s concept of architectual integrity is annoying to me. I’m sure that it was applicable to the time, but it’s gotten way past the point now where the opposite happens. Traditionally beautiful art is scoffed at in favor of “shocking”, “non-conformist” art.
I went to an exhibit a few weeks ago where a guy had video taped himself eating an entire American flag and then throwing it up. The irony is, the statement he was making was the farthest thing from non-conformity. Give me a exhibit where someone has the guts and the honesty to show art that is really objectively beautiful or politically incorrect in the face of potential scorn and ridicule of his colleagues.
That’s integrity.
