The Groove 209 - The Elusive Chase of the Contemporary Masterpiece
Welcome to the 209th issue of The Groove.
I am Maria Brito, an art advisor, curator, and author based in New York City.
If you haven’t done so, please subscribe here, to get The Groove in your inbox for free every Tuesday.
THE ELUSIVE CHASE OF THE CONTEMPORARY MASTERPIECE
Pablo Picasso’s 1907 Les Demoiselles d’Avignon hanging at MoMA in New York.
In 1937, Picasso's Guernica exploded onto the world stage, a singular masterpiece that crystallized the horror of war and forever changed the trajectory of modern art.
Thirty years earlier, Picasso painted Les Demoiselles d'Avignon, aiming to outdo Matisse as the era's leading innovator, but the work was initially misunderstood. First exhibited in 1916, nine years after Picasso finished it, the poet, critic, and writer André Salmon requested it for his L’Art Moderne en France show.
The painting was originally titled Le Bordel d’Avignon, but Salmón renamed it as Les Demoiselles d'Avignon to soften its impact, much to Picasso's chagrin. The painting stayed rolled inside a tube until 1924, when Picasso sold it for 25,000 francs (around $18,000 today) to fashion designer Jacques Doucet, who paid in installments but failed to leave it to the Louvre in his will as he had promised Picasso. By 1937, Demoiselles had gained recognition as a revolutionary work that marked the beginning of Cubism and was shown in New York at Jacques Seligmann's gallery. In 1939, MoMA purchased it for $24,000, funding part of the cost by selling a Degas painting and raising the rest through donations.
Guernica and Demoiselles were universally praised as groundbreaking. They’ve stood the test of time. But in 2024, how do we single out a masterpiece when so many artists are producing exceptional works at a pace we've never seen before?
What Defines a Masterpiece?
Édouard Manet’s 1863 Olympia at the Musée d'Orsay in Paris.
The art world today is bursting at the seams. Museums, galleries, art fairs, and biennials are filled with outstanding paintings, installations, sculptures, and mixed-media works by young and mid-career artists. Social media gives us access to a seemingly infinite flow of images, each compelling and clamoring for attention. It's hard to argue that there isn't more great art being made now than ever before. But that abundance makes it nearly impossible to identify a singular “masterpiece”.
Historically, a masterpiece has been defined by its ability to stand apart, innovate, and resonate universally. It's a work that demands attention, even centuries later. Leonardo da Vinci’s 1503-1506 Mona Lisa, Édouard Manet’s 1863 Olympia, Vincent Van Gogh’s 1889 Starry Night, Marcel Duchamp’s 1917 Fountain - each hold an almost sacred place in art history, not only because they were innovative but because they also spoke profoundly to their time and continue to speak to ours.
These examples highlight how masterpieces often blend technical innovation with cultural resonance and emotional impact. They are not just great works of art but pivotal moments pushing the boundaries of what art can achieve.
Is It Possible to Pick a Masterpiece Now?
Marcel Duchamp’s 1917 Fountain.
In our contemporary moment, the concept of a masterpiece feels both necessary and obsolete.
We still crave that One Work that rises above the noise, a beacon that defines the zeitgeist. But with so many artists creating across a global stage and with taste becoming increasingly pluralistic, is it realistic to single out one “perfect” work? Perhaps not.
The art of our time reflects our fractured, multipolar world. It's no longer just Picasso and Matisse; it's Jadé Fadojutimi, Lucy Bull, Tavares Strachan, Njideka Akunyili Crosby, Emma Webster, Rashid Johnson, Salman Toor, and hundreds of excellent artists that are redefining the boundaries of painting or what is considered art.
Does that mean the masterpiece is dead? Not necessarily. It may simply look different now.
Instead of a singular work, a masterpiece might take the form of an artist's overall vision or a cohesive body of work. Think of Kerry James Marshall's ongoing exploration of Black life, or Mark Bradford's monumental abstract paintings that merge aesthetic beauty with biting social commentary.
The Role of Time
Ultimately, only time will tell which works of art become masterpieces. The noise of the present makes it hard to determine what will endure. A masterpiece requires patience. It needs to settle into the collective consciousness, accruing meaning and significance with every passing year.
In 2024, we may be too close to the canvas to see the full picture. But that doesn't mean we shouldn't engage in the exercise of speculation. What resonates with us now may guide future generations to understand what mattered in this moment.
Art Is a Long Game
The art we acquire now may resonate differently in a decade, both for us personally and in the broader art world. Great collecting isn’t about finding the next Guernica; it's about participating in the ongoing conversation of art, supporting creativity, and surrounding yourself with works that inspire and challenge you.
It's undeniable that the pace and volume of contemporary art production has skyrocketed.
Artists today benefit from greater access to materials, education, and a global stage, allowing them to refine their craft and push boundaries like never before. This doesn't mean masterpieces no longer exist; it means we need to redefine how we identify and value them.
The old markers of success like critical acclaim, museum acquisitions, or even instant market validation are no longer the sole indicators. On top of that, collectors’ tastes and preferences are changing as fast as developments in AI.
Instead, you have to know that contemporary masterpieces often emerge over time, shaped by cultural shifts, long-term relevance and how they resonate with future audiences. Masterpieces are not just about artistic merit; they're about capturing something profound about the human condition. That's a criterion we can still use, even in this age of art abundance. Perhaps the real masterpiece of our time is not one work but the diversity and depth of creativity we see around us. That itself is extraordinary. And maybe that's enough.