5. Are Memes Art?

Have you ever wondered what makes art art? Join El and Christine as we endeavor to tackle the age old question: is this art? In this first installment of another themed series of episodes, we ponder if memes are art by discussing their creation, inspiration, innovation, and impact. 

Check out:

1. Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres, Portrait of Madame Moitessier, 1844–1856, oil on canvas, 6'3" x 3'0", https://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/paintings/jean-auguste-dominique-ingres-madame-moitessier

2. Claude Monet, La Gare St-Lazare, 1877, oil on canvas, 54.3 × 73.6 cm, https://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/paintings/claude-monet-the-gare-st-lazare

3. J. M.W. Turner, Rain, Steam and Speed, 1844, oil on canvas, 91 × 121.8 cm, https://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/paintings/joseph-mallord-william-turner-rain-steam-and-speed-the-great-western-railway

4. Marcel Duchamp, R. Mutt, 1917, porcelain urinal,  (original is no longer in existence) https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/duchamp-fountain-t07573

5. René Magritte, Ce n'est pas un pipe, 1929, oil on canvas,  60.33 cm × 81.12 cm, https://www.lacma.org/art/exhibition/modern-art-galleries

6. ERMAGERD GERSBERMS!, 2012, meme, https://www.today.com/money/ermahgerd-r-l-stine-flummoxed-gersberms-meme-1b8036217

7. Bernie Sanders Mittens Friends, 2021, meme, https://www.capessokol.com/insights/the-bernie-sanders-meme-keeps-on-giving-analyzing-the-copyright-and-right-of-publicity-issues-when-an-image-goes-viral/

8. Bernie Sanders Mittens Manet, 2021, meme, https://twitter.com/Cabbot_/status/1352171547335794688/photo/1

9. We struggled to find a good example of the candy work of art. We apologize for not being able to provide more context in this instance.