Can Complex Art Exist In A Complex World?

What happens to art when we focus on the attention we need for it to be viable?

Image by Alexandr Ivanov

A thought struck me as I approached the venue for the concert I was going to the other night: can alternative art be popular today and, if not, what will unpopularity do to alternative art?

Alternative In Yesteryear

Artists that we would consider to be highly alternative today used to fill stadiums. Some still do because their fan base has stayed loyal through the years as much as the artists have remained loyal to their fans. I have been in big venues crammed with chairs where I probably was the youngest fan by a couple of decades. Conversely, I have seen new bands in small venues they could have outgrown in a couple of years in the past. I don’t mean bands trying to emulate the style of old bands, but bands with new sounds that could have made them extremely popular in the past and that will confine them to cult status at best today.

No, The 1970s Weren’t Better

Fret not: I don’t mean to say the 1970s were better for artists. I don’t think so. These days there are more outlets for artists than ever before. If anyone is serious enough about their work, they will be able to produce it to a professional level and have it available to anyone…