post about the essays

I thought that the Benjamin Walter essay presented a very in-depth look at the roles of the viewer and the artist in contemporary culture. I found it especially interesting that he viewed actors in films as mere props to present the bigger idea. It didn't matter who was used in these films, it was up to the person filming it to be able to portray the actors in the right light. I felt that the essay implied that anything can be an art and anyone can be an artist, because in contemporary culture, art is a mode of communication, and the art work is the dialogue of different ideas. The most important thing is to get the idea across in the most reliable, understandable and accessible way. It made me wonder, what role do aesthetics play in contemporary art, and if they play any role at all? Are contemporary aesthetics simply judged on the presentation of the idea, and not on the visual element in the work?