High
Culture
High culture is the cultural activities that
the highest social class participates in. These activities differ from popular
culture because more isolated and atypical. Also, high culture has limited
access from individuals of lower class standings. The high culture activities
can sometimes require networking or financing the lower classes cannot acquire.
For example, some dance clubs have a list of the elite that are allowed inside
and all of the low culture individuals are sent away. The costs of ballets and
expensive restaurants restrict the activities to people of higher financial
income. Some other examples in the book include: ballet, symphony, opera,
literature, and fine art.
The restrictiveness of the high culture can
be seen in the fine art society. Fine Art is something many can appreciate, but
only the elite can participate in. Fine Art Gallery openings are usual invite
only, meaning low culture individuals with limited connections will probably
not be in attendance. Fine Art Gallery collecting is an expensive hobby. Pieces
of art collections can be worth millions of dollars. Below is a video showing
the auctioning of Warhol’s Campbell's Soup Can.
To be a true Fine Art collector is to be a
part of the High Culture. The activity requires time, money and education-
these factors combined are usually associated with the elite class. Below is
advice Forbes gives on how to be an art collector if you are not a billionaire.
The article shows the difficulty, but also the possibility, of becoming an art
collector from a lower class standing.
High Culture has always been a bit of the
greener grass many middle class strive for. I got excited for tickets to the
New York City Ballet because I could dress up and be a part of a culture I
normally was not a part of. I would consider myself more of a folk culture;
however I will not deny my popular culture tendencies. High culture consists of
the one percent, and the one percent is always interesting for everyone else.
The show ‘cribs’ walked us through the enormous homes of the elite. The show ‘my
sweet sixteen’ showed us how the elite high school girls celebrate their
birthdays. I think high culture is the culture of the elite, which many will
strive for but few will truly ever experience.
References:
http://artinvestment.ru/content/download/articles/20090418_andy_warhol_double_marlon.jpg
Beverly Hillbillies Opening.
(2011, February). Retrieved March 2012, from YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SnXfRstZntE
Not A Billionaire? You Can
Still Be An Art Collector. (2011). Retrieved March 2012, from Forbes:
http://www.forbes.com/sites/kerenblankfeld/2011/11/07/not-a-billionaire-you-can-still-be-an-art-collector/
Warhol's Double Marlon Sold
For $32.5 Million At Christie's . (2008). Retrieved March 2012,
from YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZY2qVA0tFiI&feature=related
Martin, J., & Nakayama, T. (2010). Intercultural Communication
in Contexts. New York: McGraw Hill.
I think that the specific application of Andy Warhol's art to high culture is interesting. In a way his art is an application of folk culture transitioning to high culture.
ReplyDeleteIt's too bad that many things have become more a fine art. I would think that with the technological advances our society has made, fine art would be more accessible. I guess then the meaning of fine art would change then and just like Jake said, it would have an impact in the transition between folk culture and high culture.
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