Editorial: Contemporary Art's Parasitical Nature and the Search for Originality

The editorial from New Art Examiner, Volume 41 No 1, criticizes contemporary art exhibitions for being parasitical, pretending to be revealing and innovative while lacking true originality. It argues that many artists are merely commenting on the world, examining themselves through the lens of others' works, and failing to add new thoughts or lived experiences that are evolutionary rather than revelatory. The piece questions whether any contemporary artist can show something never thought of before, combining beauty, skill, and intellect. It laments that most art has settled into ritual, focused on personal orientation in chaotic societies, seeking to unbalance or rebalance rather than move the human race forward. The editorial asserts that commentary is not art, and artists who merely comment become critics, the very thing they despise. It criticizes artists for bemoaning poverty, screaming for peace, and making statements that fill headlines briefly before disappearing. The author contends that artists as a group no longer make a difference, having devolved into design and spectacle, and that nothing in contemporary art moves humanity forward; that role is left to writers and political movements. The piece ends with a reflection on artists being left with hope, color, and street finds, and the cathartic experience of hiding nothing, while noting that in imagination, nothing is hidden.