Art

The media are intrigued with a case of a discovery of hoarded art in Munich, Germany. There are questions about the provenance of the previously unknown private collection. The collection is likely comprised of art seized by the Nazi regime and sold to private collectors. 

Layers of social issues are raised by this story. It raises the obvious specter of deadly Nazi antisemitism. It raises the question of what is the real value of this art. Is it cultural legacy? If so, hasn't it actually become a negative cultural legacy by way of its provenance? It will most likely always be known as stolen art, associated with the vilest human behaviors. It also raises the issue of art as money. If this art hadn't been money, it most likely would have been ignored by the Nazis and subsequent buyers. Its recent discovery would not have been valuable for selling eyes and ears to media advertisers. 

The art culture is to beauty what religion is to goodness. The art culture and religion both capitalize the best of human expressions. They turn the finest instincts of humanity into a business. This creates an illusion that human beauty and human goodness can be measured and given relative value, in terms of finance. There is an intrinsic evil in this process, in my opinion. It squelches more expressions of human beauty and human goodness than it promotes.