Art: Then and Now

In Academicism, only art that had come from those that had been through school was important. This idea reminded me of a television program So You Think You Can Dance?, a show that gives everyone from every kind of background a chance to show their artistic ability to the world. People often think that one must go to school in order to be a good dancer, just as the idea of Academicism believed only. However, the judges on the show frequently choose dancers that have also not had any classical training at all. These often turn out to be some of the best dancers because they have such a strong natural talent. In fact, the finalists of the last season were both untrained dancers. It is sad to me that Academicism was such a powerful idea in the 1700s because there were probably many wonderfully talented artists who were not appreciated or even given a change to express their creativity because they did not go to school.

Also on the show, dancers have certain genres in which they are particularly inclined to dance in. Just recently, they have had such styles as Crumping and Popping on the show which are relatively new and very different than classical styles such as Jazz and Lyrical.


Many people did not (and some still don't) consider the former styles of dance as sophisticated as latter ones. This prejudice reminded me of the disagreement between the Poussinistes and the Rubenistes, two groups that had opposing views in what made a great painting: drawing or color.

The Poussinistes, named after Nicolas Poussin, believed that drawing was more important because it "appealed to the mind" where color "appealed to the senses". ------------------------>

Rubenistes, named after Peter Ruben, however, believed that color, because it was able to "deceive the eye" better than drawing could, was more important.
(below)


Only the Poussinistes' style was acceptable by the French Academy, much like how the "classical" styles of dance are more accepted in the dance world today.