What is the aesthetic and artistic value of memes?
If Memes were art what kind would it be?
Unlike other forms of contemporary art, the creator of the meme is not of importance. There is no need for creating a thesis, concept, or body of work for the meme to be successful. Success is measured by gauging levels of understandability and the overall lifespan of the meme. Understandability comes from the language that it is written in, whether the public has a relationship with or is aware of the outside context where the imagery is pulled from, and how people create a new narrative when these elements are combined. The lifespan of the meme is not based on a birth and death timeline, so the meme never dies. Lifespan is measured in its circulation, and how often is it ‘liked’ or ‘shared’ when presented on social media. The two equal components that control the lifespan of a meme are humor and social relevance. The meme exists outside of itself, and if it lacks one of these components then it loses majority of its value.
Memes are made without permission, usually by appropriating famous artworks or photographs of known and unknown individuals. The fact that the creators are virtually anonymous and untraceable allows them to work in freedom, freedom from laws that surround copyright infringement, defamation, slander, libel and responsibility of actions taken due to wrong information. Memes appear like graffiti on a wall, usually made in a hurry to take the opportunity of being the first to address an issue.
Memes are not a product made concerned with visual beauty, which is why the creator is only concerned with its function. Its function is to energizing the public, proving that the messages is worthy of being passed on to the next individual.
How does a Meme function as an art object?
A meme is not an art object, but a tool of criticism, criticism of the culture that is portrayed within the imagery. Only individuals that have a connection to that culture can fully understand the message that is encoded in the meme.
To remove the meme from its platform, social-media or any public domain causes it to lose its shareability. Having a physical meme turns it into a poster, and if placed in a gallery or home then the audience is reduced to people who frequent that location. Due to its short lifespan, a meme’s value will not increase with time or through exchange of ownership. Though there are situations where a meme will be reintroduced to the public, its impact will not be as strong as its original debut. The amount of likes or shares that a re-posted meme has will not surpass the number it received the first time it was presented. This is because the audience is already familiar with the image, therefore the image is now stale.
However, like traditional art, you should look at a meme in relation to its social context. Memes are made in response to current events, and the lifespan of the meme is based on how the community aligns themselves with the message of the meme. To find the value of a meme one would need the ability to look back at it with eyes of an Art Historian 20 years from now.










