According to good old Webster's, kitsch is "something that appeals to popular or low-brow taste and is often of poor quality." But to anyone who is a fan of kitsch, it is so much more. I prefer to think of kitsch as an object, work of art, movie, television show, etc. that holds a particular sentimentality. Kitsch is that Howdy Doody lunch box you had when you were a kid. Kitsch is an appreciation of Odorama. Kitsch is a love of all things tacky, witty, artistic, brash and or tasteless.
The Industrial Revolution brought with it an evolution in consumption. People from all social classes could now participate in mass consumption and objects d'art could now be mass-produced. Many high-minded memebers of the intelligentsia were distraught. And the term kitsch evolved to disparage mass culture. The word itself is derived from the German 'kitschen' which means to throw together a work of art.
In the fifties, people wanted change. The bleakness of the war years created a hunger for variety and experimentation. Many people could now afford non-essential items. And art began to evolve from elemants of mass popular culture. A new industry of kitschdom arose.
Today kitsch has been reinstated as amusing, curious and ridiculous. In fact the very awfulness of kitsch is what is appealing. According to the director, John Waters, "In order to acquire bad taste one must first have very good taste."
In this column I hope to explore America's love affair with kitsch. To begin your journey check out http://www.altculture.com. It is an a-z of 90's popular culture and kitsch. And maybe along the way you'll learn a little bit about yourself.
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