Does art have a future? Performance genres like opera, theater, music and dance are thriving all over the world, but the visual arts have been in slow decline for nearly 40 years. No major figure of profound influence has emerged in painting or sculpture since the waning of Pop Art and the birth of Minimalism in the early 1970s.

Summary

The quote suggests that while performance-based art forms such as opera, theater, music, and dance continue to flourish globally, the visual arts have experienced a decline for almost four decades. It highlights that painting and sculpture have not witnessed the emergence of influential figures comparable to the impact made by Pop Art and Minimalism in the early 1970s. The statement probes the question of whether the visual arts can sustain their relevance and thrive in the future.