How To Recognize Great Art? Poem by Paul Hartal

The octopus went to see an art exhibition
and did not like what he saw.

"Oh", said the goat, who was also the gallery owner,
"you don't understand the paintings because
you are just an ignorant and stupid octopus".


"Well", replied the octopus, "actually I have a PhD
in Art, as well as my highly cultivated aesthetic
taste and my own curatorial judgment.
Let me tell you this: It is very unfortunate
that so called >experts<, like you promote junk art
and tell others that either they like what you like, or
they are fools. Art lovers should know that they are
duped by you. I believe they should educate their
aesthetic sensitivities and trust their own judgment.
Furthermore, I also would like to remind you,
that as the poet Reiner Maria Rilke observed long ago,
there is only one fair judge in art: Love."