Art Talent Show

Art can be anything that you look at. But what makes it good or bad? How do you critique art, and how is one qualified to critique it? It’s quite ironic of me to ask that question as I’m here writing a film review, isn’t it? Tomás Bojar and Adéla Komrzy’s Art Talent Show showcases what goes into a yearly event held at the Academy of Fine Arts in Prague to determine who among the many applicants will earn a coveted spot at the 220-year-old institution.

Hundreds of applicants are put through the wringer as they apply to be accepted into the highly respected Academy of Fine Arts. Not only is their art examined and critiqued, but they are asked a series of questions, some of which are very odd. The applicants are put through this process to see what they add to the academy and art as a whole.

During the interview process, the applicants meet with a number of professors who want to know every detail about the artist. And when I say every, I mean every. Professors want to know their background, such as where they came from, why they do the art they do, and even sexual orientation, which I found odd, as I don’t feel that it is a necessary discussion that should take place. But, the professors do want to know exactly what they are getting themselves into when taking a chance on an artist. One question that was asked to an applicant was if given the option of a portrait made by a British artist made out of blood or out of sh*t, which one would she prefer.

“Hundreds of applicants are put through the wringer as they apply to be accepted into the highly respected Academy of Fine Arts.”

During another interview, an applicant talks about a plan to infect her lover with AIDS so they could never leave them. Strange things like these are scattered throughout the documentary, making you either want to stop watching or want to keep watching due to curiosity about how much more strange it can get. And trust me, it gets quite strange, as applicants are asked to do random things such as raise their hand slowly, walk through a park blindfolded in broad daylight, and even asked to scream at the top of their lungs. What all this has to do with being an artist beats me. I can only guess the professors are trying to see how open the artists can get and what they are willing to do to be a part of the

One thing I felt the documentary needed was a score. It was weird to just watch a film without a note being played anywhere in it. Music wasn’t even played in the credits. It felt that the lack of music just made for more awkwardness during scenes, which could have been what the directors intended, as they may have wanted the viewers to feel as awkward as the applicants may have felt.

Art is in the eye of the beholder, and the same can be said for Art Talent Show. It is as interesting as it is odd. There isn’t as much art as you would expect, but it is more about what goes into the exam to be a part of the Academy of Fine Arts. The film creates a picture that is quite unique in one way or another.