The Art World Takes the Fame Out of the Famous

Jerry Saltz has an interesting interview with Matthew Weinstein on NYMag’s Seen blog where the two discuss the immense attraction of art to celebrities:

The art world is the new cultural succubus. The phenomenon in which a celebrity’s fame becomes increasingly hobbled as s­he is drawn closer to the art world establishes the fact that there is no longer any pop culture. It is all art culture. This idea destabilizes the accepted and tired idea that Pop Art served to dissolve the art/life invisible divide. Actually, Pop Art annexed popular culture for art; thus increasing the territory for art and depriving popular culture of being perceived as anything but entertainment or decoration. The fact that huge celebrities are drawn to art-world attention proves the victory of art culture over popular culture. Celebrities cannot grasp onto art content without first offering themselves up as sacrifices to the art world. Pop Art possessed the seeds of the more conservative notions of culture and class that have grown into the world domination of “high culture” by claiming popular culture for art.

Gaga’s Law: How Art Conquered Pop  (Vulture)