Why is music so much more popular and integrated into our culture compared to visual art such as paintings and photography?
Popular musicians rake in the money and popularity, while even the top visual artists struggle just to make a survivable income.
Popular musicians are perceived nearly as a cultural god, while visual artists are perceived as outcast nerds playing with their camera gear or hypersensitively painting a scene by themselves in a corner of society somewhere. If a popular musician were to appear in a movie, it would likely drive up sales, but if it were a visual artist, people would go: "Hmmm... who? What are they doing trying to act?"
What causes this dichotomy?
Is it that musicians are seen as more extraverted and in-touch with their fans and life?
Is public visibility and performance of musicians a factor?
Is visual art perceived as more esoteric and removed from day to day life?
Is music more of an emotional medium, and thus more appealing?
Does the price and availability of visual art play a role? If so, what if visual art were made more affordable and more easily obtainable? It seems to me that one reason the photographer Ansel Adams was so popular is that he tried to make his work available to a wider range of people by selling it for less than many photographers of his caliber would have.
Popular musicians rake in the money and popularity, while even the top visual artists struggle just to make a survivable income.
Popular musicians are perceived nearly as a cultural god, while visual artists are perceived as outcast nerds playing with their camera gear or hypersensitively painting a scene by themselves in a corner of society somewhere. If a popular musician were to appear in a movie, it would likely drive up sales, but if it were a visual artist, people would go: "Hmmm... who? What are they doing trying to act?"
What causes this dichotomy?
Is it that musicians are seen as more extraverted and in-touch with their fans and life?
Is public visibility and performance of musicians a factor?
Is visual art perceived as more esoteric and removed from day to day life?
Is music more of an emotional medium, and thus more appealing?
Does the price and availability of visual art play a role? If so, what if visual art were made more affordable and more easily obtainable? It seems to me that one reason the photographer Ansel Adams was so popular is that he tried to make his work available to a wider range of people by selling it for less than many photographers of his caliber would have.