Almost everyone agrees that art is important, but they disagree on whether governments, using taxpayers' public money, should be funding it. Also, if governments do spend money on art, what artworks should they buy and for what purpose?
Most governments purchase well-known artworks for public galleries, such as the Metropolitan in New York, the National Gallery in London, the Louvre in Paris and the Uffizi in Florence, which are all free to the public. Most people do not object to public money being spent on keeping great artworks available to the public eye. However, there are some types the public are often not so happy about supporting.
In the 1980s when most people seemed to have lost interest in art, the Turner Prize was started in order to regain public's attention again. This is a contemporary art award supported by taxpayers. In 1999, the Turner Prize came under great public criticism when Tracey Emin was shortlisted for the prize for her work called "My Bed". "My Bed" was her actual bed which she had lain in for days following a relationship breakup. To some, this was a breakthrough and some visitors even jumped into the bed and rolled around. To others, it was simply a dive into the depths of human depravity (堕落).
But is the kind of "work"done by Emin "art"? And should the public pay for it, especially when it is so controversial (有争议的)?
Western art is certainly at a crossroads. Does it keep exploring the dark side or does it seek an ideal beauty? Perhaps the answer depends on the public at large and the values they hold. Many people were pleased when Richard Wright won the Turner Prize in 2009 with his fresco (壁画). Its artistic beauty, poetic nature and use of historic tradition might shows that society is looking for something more positive and "rooted" in its history again. If public money is spent on art, it is essential that the public play a key role in debating both art, and what art they are willing to pay for.
