Being a fan of authentic Dada, I find today's art - what I call

In the rich tapestry of human creativity, there are movements that transcend the conventional and defy the very structures upon which art is built. Billy Childish, with a candid and somewhat defiant voice, expresses a sentiment shared by many who feel disconnected from the art of their time: "Being a fan of authentic Dada, I find today's art—what I call 'Bankers' Dada—mind-numbingly dull. The most challenging work I've seen of late is by The British Art Resistance. Their document, 'A Call for Heroes in an Age of Cowards', is apt in these days of witless chancers." His words cut deep into the heart of modern art, questioning not only its authenticity but its very purpose. In these reflections, Childish challenges us to look beyond the surface and ask: what does art truly represent? And what does it mean to create art that is truly challenging and authentic?

The ancients were no strangers to art’s power to challenge the status quo. The works of Socrates and Plato were not merely philosophical musings but challenges to the established norms of their day. Socrates, with his piercing questions, sought to expose the superficial beliefs of Athenian society, pushing people to look deeper into the nature of truth, justice, and virtue. Similarly, Dadaism, a movement born out of the chaos and despair of World War I, sought to shatter the pretensions of art and challenge the very notion of beauty itself. Dada artists, rejecting the conventional, turned the art world upside down, creating pieces that were absurd, fragmented, and deeply disorienting. In this light, Childish’s criticism of contemporary art—what he calls “Bankers' Dada”—becomes an accusation that today's art has lost its ability to provoke, instead becoming a commodity of the powerful and the wealthy.

In the time of Dada, artists such as Marcel Duchamp sought to disrupt the traditional understanding of art. Duchamp’s famous work, Fountain—a porcelain urinal signed "R. Mutt"—was not just an absurd object, but a direct confrontation of the art world’s definition of value and authenticity. Childish’s lament that today’s art has become “Bankers’ Dada” suggests that, in his eyes, modern art has strayed from its rebellious roots. The original Dadaists were not concerned with profit or pleasing the rich; they were about freedom, absurdity, and challenging the very foundations of society. Today's art, according to Childish, has become too comfortable, too compromised, and too willing to cater to those in power. It is no longer about authenticity, but about prestige and status.

In the ancient world, the true role of art was to illuminate, to provoke thought, and to reflect the values of society. The Greeks, for example, used sculpture to honor their gods, but also to capture the human spirit—its virtues, flaws, and aspirations. Socrates, though not an artist, understood that true wisdom and insight came not from comforting the masses, but from challenging them to think critically about their lives. Art, in its highest form, should serve a higher purpose—not simply to entertain, but to enlighten and transform. Childish’s frustration is not with art itself, but with the shift in art's role in modern society. Where art once had the power to challenge and provoke, it has now, in his view, become another tool for the powerful to maintain their grip on the world.

Consider the example of Michelangelo, whose masterpieces in the Sistine Chapel were not merely works of art but were statements about humanity, religion, and the divine. His work transcended the art world and resonated deeply with the beliefs and struggles of his time. Michelangelo’s art was a form of rebellion, not just against the religious authorities but also against the limitations of his own physical body. He poured his soul into his work, knowing that his creations would live on for centuries, challenging future generations to contemplate the divine and the human condition. Childish seems to long for a return to such authentic expressions of humanity, where art is about more than just surface-level appeal or social climbing.

The lesson from Childish’s critique is one that speaks to the core of what it means to create. Art, in its purest form, must not be concerned with what is commercially viable, but with what is authentic, what challenges the status quo, and what reflects the truths of the human experience. Just as Duchamp and the original Dadaists sought to tear down the conventions of their time, we too must ask ourselves what art means in our age. Are we creating works that question, that dare to expose the uncomfortable realities of the world? Or are we merely adding to the noise, crafting pieces that placate rather than provoke, that flatter rather than challenge?

In our own lives, the challenge is clear: to seek out authenticity in our actions, our creations, and our relationships. We must resist the temptation to conform, to cater to the masses or to those in power, but instead, create meaningful work that speaks to the heart of the human experience. Whether we are artists, thinkers, or everyday individuals, we must strive to make a dent, to leave a mark that reflects our truth and our vision, not the expectations of society or the whims of the wealthy. In doing so, we honor the legacy of the true creators of the past, and we carry the torch of authentic expression into the future.