Identifier

etd-04132013-151026

Degree

Master of Arts (MA)

Department

Art

Document Type

Thesis

Abstract

This thesis has as twofold purpose. First, it will show that Lowbrow Art fits into the framework of art history and is worthy of art history’s attention. Second, it will argue for a revalidation of “traditional” art historical methods by proving that the methods are applicable to a marginalized contemporary art movement. Lowbrow Art is one of the most distinctive and vibrant art movements in the world, but there has yet to be a thorough examination of this style. Despite the undeniable worldwide success of the Lowbrow Art movement, it remains relatively obscure in academic discourse. Perhaps one reason why art historians have yet to investigate the Lowbrow Art style is that, for decades, the field of art history has steadily been shifting attention away from matters of style. There is a lack of discourse about Lowbrow Art and other contemporary art movements. Therefore, “traditional” methods of art history were considered in order to develop a formal definition of Lowbrow Art. The methods concluded that Lowbrow Art is figurative art executed in traditional media that exploits the aesthetic conventions of popular visual culture in order to engage the viewer with a narrative or implied narrative. The proper definition of Lowbrow Art formed the framework for a historical analysis of the movement.

Date

2013

Document Availability at the Time of Submission

Release the entire work immediately for access worldwide.

Committee Chair

Spieth, Darius

DOI

10.31390/gradschool_theses.654

Download

Share

COinS