Art is what you make it. The question has often been raised on whether or not memes are art.
Memes have become a integral part of everyday life. There isn’t a day that goes by where I don’t share memes with family & friends or vice-versa.
With just a quick scroll through the internet, you’ll instantly find a meme that resonates with you. Memes, with or without context, bring people together through shared comedy. In some cases they’re also informational. It wouldn’t shock me if they start popping up in future textbooks.
Cassandra Luca of The Harvard Crimson states “Which is why, I would postulate, they’re art. It’s still difficult for many to think of such Internet-based phenomena as “art,” but, I ask — why not? They require quick thinking, wit, and creativity. They capture our anxieties, desires, sense of humor, and cultural moment.”
While memes do not measure up towards other art forms, at the end of the day, they still require thinking and creativity.
Furthermore, Vittorio Compagno of the Carl Kruse Arts Blog mentions “Memes have become so important to our common culture that an online “library” archives thousands of them, avoiding the inevitable loss that the speed at which they are made causes. When a form of communication becomes popular, you suddenly start seeing ads popping in using that same medium. That is the case with popular art in recent decades.”
The bottom line is— Art is constantly evolving & memes are here to stay!
Here are 2 memes I created that are related to CT101:
