Word of the Day

Kitsch/kitschy:

Kitsch (/kɪtʃ/) is the German and Yiddish word denoting art that is considered an inferior, tasteless copy of an extant style of art or a worthless imitation of art of recognized value. The use of elements that may be thought of as cultural icons while making cheap mass-produced objects that are unoriginal is associated with the concept as well. Kitsch also refers to the types of art that are like-wise æsthetically deficient (whether or not being sentimental, glamorous, theatrical, or creative), making it a creative gesture that merely imitates the superficial appearances of art through repeated conventions and formulae. Excessive sentimentality often is associated with the term.

The term is considered derogatory, denoting works executed to pander to popular demand alone, purely for commercial purposes rather than works created as self-expression by an artist, generally, being reserved for unsubstantial and gaudy works that are calculated to have popular appeal and are considered pretentious and shallow rather than genuine artistic efforts.

I never realized the word carried a derogatory connotation. I always thought kitschy was cool. Hehe... but I guess kitschy is cool to some people. I can think of some places (restaurants, hotels, stores, homes) that have tried to emulate a period or specific design aesthetic, and instead produced an overdone, semi-tacky and kitschy look.