Critique of Rising Emphasis on Artist Appearance Over Art Quality in Contemporary Scene

A critical commentary observes that contemporary art scenes increasingly prioritize artists' physical attractiveness and social skills over artistic merit. The author notes a shift from historical periods like the 1950s, when good looks could hinder an artist's serious reception, as seen with Niki de Saint Phalle and Salvador Dalí. Today, factors such as social media branding pressures, a youth cult, and possibly the high costs of art education favoring affluent, often attractive individuals contribute to this trend. The piece references a gallery event where a handsome, charismatic rising-star artist drew attention regardless of his work's quality. It speculates on a future where art might bifurcate into superficial, party-focused creators and underground, talented makers, echoing H.G. Wells's "The Time Machine" and Marcel Duchamp's suggestion that artists go underground. The text also mentions Yuval Noah Harari's 2016 book "Homo Deus," which predicts art's decline if technological immortality removes the drive to create lasting work. Art schools are noted as slow to adapt by not offering classes in networking or self-promotion. The overall tone critiques how visibility in art now often depends on pulchritude rather than talent.