Studies of the Mass Arts

Abstract

In this article, I offer a tentative definition of the “mass arts,” spawned by mass production and mass marketing for profit. I suggest that images (artifacts, environments, events) created, produced and distributed under these conditions can be regarded as art insofar as they are: a) descendants from more traditional art forms, and b) intentionally contrived with an interest in merging form and content aesthetically. I recommend studies of the mass arts as one aspect of arts education and provide a sample of possibilities for content. The discussion is organized to indicate tendencies toward homogeneity and heterogeneity within the mass arts as well as forms of artistry evident in them (e.g., narrative structures, forms of emotional address, artistic techniques). I give examples of the mass arts in contexts such as the built environment, photography and screen-based images, and various branches of design (e.g., graphic, product, fashion).

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