Getty Museum’s ‘Playful Challenge” Just Might Have (Finally) Smashed Through The Art World’s Glass Ceiling

You’ll have seen them. The fun parodies of famous artworks are flooding newsfeeds across the globe. And they are flipping fantastic. Yet what is, arguably, even more fantastic, is that these amusing recreations have introduced a whole new demographic to a world they previously seldom, or never, engaged with.

For some, art was simply something they felt utterly apathetic about. For many, the notorious elitism of the art world intimidating enough to keep them away. But then Covid-19 stuck and as the world went into lockdown, closing a million doors, a surprising one opened, thanks to the Getty Museum’s quarantine challenge.

It is less than a week since artist Joseph J Walker decided to join the challenge, producing his own hilarious takes on classic pieces, but, already, he has noticed changes in the audience of these posts, compared to the images he usually posts of his own artwork. Joseph said: “The driving force for almost all of my artwork is fun; I create uplifting pieces, that people can positively connect to; that make them smile.

“So, getting on-board with the Getty Museum challenge was an obvious choice for me, as my art is already hugely playful. But it genuinely didn’t even occur to me that this project would be a way to reach a whole new audience! My followers have increased and I’ve had a huge level of engagement and feedback; from a much wider, more diverse audience than ever before. Which is fantastic!

“People are very often ‘scared’ of the art world. There is the perception that it’s full of snobbery and that if you’re not an expert on every artist from Michelangelo to Pollock, you might as well stay out of it. And sadly, that’s partly true; snobbery and elitism do abound. BUT the point of art is that you don’t have to know anything about it to enjoy it. If you look at something and like it, or even just have an opinion on it, that’s art appreciation.”

So far, Joseph has recreated:

•Banksy’s ‘The Flower Thrower’

•Edvard Munch’s ‘The Scream’

•Van Gogh’s ‘Self Portrait with bandaged ear and pipe’

•Jacques-Louis David’s ‘Napoleon Crossing The Alpes’

•George Seurat’s ‘A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte’

•Hans Holbein’s ‘The Ambassadors’

•Rene Magritte’s ‘The Son of Man’

•Thomas Gainsborough’s ‘Mr and Mrs Andrews’

Follow Joseph on Instagram and Facebook: @josephjwalkerart

To view, buy and commission artwork from Joseph, please visit his website: https://www.josephjwalkerart.com/