Is Aelita Andre the real deal? What’s art anyway? Can a kid create art?

There has been a lot of talk about Aelita Andre. At the age of 2, the cute little Australian was already being called a master by many, and at the age of 4, she had already achieved more than most accomplished artist could dream. She had exhibited in New your City (at the Agora Gallery in Chelsea), in Hong Kong and throughout Australia. She had her very own website, her paintings had sold for upwards of $25,000 and she and her family were already known across the globe. But what does that all prove? Are the opinions of art critics, that critical? Or does it just come down to how much someone is willing to pay for your work? And is that in and of itself proof of artistic merit?

There are many who really dig Aelita’s work. Her website is full (maybe a little too full?) of quotes from those who consider her work, art. Even at the age of 2, Australian Art critic Robert Nelson believed Aelita’s works to be “joyful, happy spontaneous paintings that could be proudly hung anywhere.” What Aelita’s website doesn’t mention, are the opposing views in the industry. The doubters. The disbelievers. The cynics. Geoff Hutchinson, writing for the ABC, was not so complimentary. After deriding Aelita’s “first piece” (created by crawling through paint), Hutchinson went on to suggest that Aelita had “done some quite nice splatter work.” The Pocket Jury would have us believe that they are still out on the question of Aelita Andre’s artistic merit, with a small majority (58%) classifying her work as “crap”.

But does it all matter? Does Aelita care? Probably not. Sad if she does. Do her parents care? Probably. Sad if they do. Whether Aelita Andre is a brilliant artist, or simply a well guided child is irrespective. Her art has the ability to move people. If it didn’t, none of us would have heard of her. Whether it moves people to laughter, to tears, to dislike of the industry, to consider the creations of their children in a different light, or to spend thousands of dollars, it moves. And isn’t that what art is all about? Moving people?

Hidden deep in Aelita’s website is a comically apt quote from Andy Warhol, “Art is whatever you can get away with.”

If that’s the case, there’s no question at all that Aelita Andre’s work is art. Is there?