Kitsch - "They're dogs! And they're playing POKER!"

[Syaoran Li]

Okay, I'll admit it in public.

I enjoy "kitsch" completely unironically. There, I said it.

Kitsch is an aesthetic that's hard to define aside from the fact it's usually overly sentimental, commercial, or tacky. Most art snobs and other smug "intellectual" types hate kitsch entirely on principle. Personally, I like a lot of artwork and aesthetics most people consider kitschy or campy.

Probably the most famous example of kitsch artwork would be the Dogs Playing Poker series of paintings from the 1900's. Other well-known examples include Andy Warhol's paintings of soup cans, plastic flamingos, lawn gnomes, "Velvet Elvis" paintings, and damn near anything done by Norman Rockwell, Michael Kinkade, or Lisa Frank.

Kitsch is less of a defined art style and more of a general aesthetic that's found in visual art, books, music, TV and movies, architecture, fashion, even things like theme parks and video games. I enjoy it completely without any hint of irony, even if it's not "intellectual" or high-brow

 

[Big Boz]

 

[Syaoran Li]

 

[TowinKarz]

It's not just art either, I'd argue that certain consumer goods and commercial enterprises are kitsch, like, say miniature golf and theme parks? Collectible plushies? Those "Inspirational" woodworks you can buy to hang in your kitchen that say things like "Live, Love, Laugh, Wine"? Any fast food product that loudly promotes it's usage of (processed faux) bacon?

Anyone want to add more?

 

[SITHRAK!]

Anyone want to add more?

Tiki bars. I wish I had one locally.

 

[Cardenio]

It's not just art either, I'd argue that certain consumer goods and commercial enterprises are kitsch, like, say miniature golf and theme parks? Collectible plushies? Those "Inspirational" woodworks you can buy to hang in your kitchen that say things like "Live, Love, Laugh, Wine"? Any fast food product that loudly promotes it's usage of (processed faux) bacon?

Anyone want to add more?

Well if you count things that serve a commercial purpose (Minigolf is just a fun game) then whole American cities are "kitsch." Like Vegas with its Casinos that theme itself around Europe.

Hell I'd argue New York City itself is very kitsch with its buildings that were designed to look far older than they actually appear to be.

Personally I think Kitsch is art works that simply hold no intellectual weight.

Also I have sperged out and will happily sperg out again on the artistic significance of Disneyland's most iconic attractions, The Haunted Mansion and Pirates of the Carribean. In my eyes the original unaltered attractions were indeed works of art. I'm not writing about it unless someone actually cares about my nerdy thoughts.

 

[Syaoran Li]

Personally, I like kitsch because it's fun and it's not pretentious like all those "deep" works of art.

But I'll gladly admit that I'm a common man with commoner tastes

 

[Punished “Venom” pH]

kitsch is my jam especially if it’s mean to be ephemeral

 

[MerriedxReldnahc]

Using the topic as another excuse to share my finest painting. Only regret is that it isn't painted on velvet (and that I never worked his favorite sandwich in anywhere).

 

[Clarence]

It has its place for sure, i didnt realize many things I enjoy are defined as such. But then again I just realized Im a lower prole in our class system so I guess it makes sense( despite my avatar im not a communist, just reading about classes in our SoCiEtY).
Sure pink flamingos but what about a painting of past us presidents smoking and drinking together with reagan in the foreground like my x-lady's dad had? Now thats classy

 

[ThePitaPredator]

The kitsch things that I like are usually art/design oriented. I also feel like the things I like ironically slowly turn into things I genuinely love. However the most important thing I have to say is that Jeff Koons art is kitsch in the absolute worst way, Fuck him and his bullshit "art". Jeff Koons is a joke that isn't even funny and I hate him with a passion.

 

[Clarence]

Seriously fuck Jeff Koons. He has other people make his pieces and he slaps his name on it. And people will dish out millions for those metal balloon animals.

On a side note I never knew Rockwell was considered kitsch. I love that dude. He really captures the emotion of the moment in time he's depicting.

 

[Syaoran Li]

Seriously fuck Jeff Koons. He has other people make his pieces and he slaps his name on it. And people will dish out millions for those metal balloon animals.

On a side note I never knew Rockwell was considered kitsch. I love that dude. He really captures the emotion of the moment in time he's depicting.

Rockwell is one of the artists whose work became branded as "kitsch" many years after the fact. I'm assuming it's because so many holiday cards and calendars use his work that it became associated with ephemeral things like cards, calendars, and decorative stuff.

 

[Some JERK]

Gretsch guitars did a run of kitschy Western themed parlour guitars that I find appealing.

I unironically want the "Wild West Sweethearts" model:

 

[Meat Target]

I associate kitsch with the knicknacks you'd find at a garage sale.

 

[Mnutu]

Gretsch guitars did a run of kitschy Western themed parlour guitars that I find appealing.

View attachment 1949705

I unironically want the "Wild West Sweethearts" model:

View attachment 1949707

In the words of the great Dolly Parton “it costs a lot of money to look this cheap”

 

[Bad Gateway]

PEW PEW PEW
What is the difference between kitsch and camp

 

[Syaoran Li]

View attachment 1963586
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What is the difference between kitsch and camp

It's one of those things where "you know it when you see it"

Sort of like the difference between pornography and art.

 

[Elwood P. Dowd]

Are Hummels kitsch? Or has time moved them to a different category? (Plus, the old ones in good condition are expensive as hell now.)

Spoiler: size

The paintings of Margaret Keane? (Who I personally find creepy AF, but to each their own. Why do dead eyed little girls always have to be crying?)

Spoiler: size and creepiness

Edit:

View attachment 1963586
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What is the difference between kitsch and camp

Camp can be easily co-opted by hipster types, maybe? Think Howard Finster and his junkyard for Jesus getting him gigs painting album covers for REM and Talking Heads.

Spoiler: size

 

[ScamL Likely]

PEW PEW PEW
What is the difference between kitsch and camp

Camp is more implicitly effeminate/gay. Kitsch is a more generalized kind of lowbrow/tacky aesthetic.