Bad Art and Life

I wrote this comment on an article entitled Why I Dont Believe in Bad Art:

I believe that there is such a concept as Bad Art. I have a friend D. who is a professional artist. He paints what he calls his "commercial" canvases to sell - but he despises doing them. Now he also paints his "real" paintings that he loves - which sell as well. So I told him that I was a little perplexed: why does he paint pictures he abhors when he could just paint what he adores because they all sell? Although I find all of his paintings drab and depressing, at least his "real" paintings have integrity because he wants to say something. But his "commercial" painting just growl at you: "I hate you. You're tasteless if you like me and I all care about is your cash". Now that does not make them Bad Art. Using art to express your emotions because you feel them is fine - even dark emotions. But to waste your time doing something you loathe just for money kills. It may do it in little stages but it does do it. I don't care what work it is: when you fill your existence with contempt just to earn cash, you die inside. And that is Bad Art because it is Bad Life