Class Clowns

Laughter is universal, it transcends culture, trends, eras and time. The art world, however, is not thought of as droll. Galleries and museums are stern, intellectual spaces and works of art are discussed in academic terms. And yet in this scholarly world there are artists that buck conventions and use humor to engage us, make us laugh and make us think. Art is a medium of communication and the artists in this issue have found that humor is the most powerful way to engage their audience and convey their message. The Class clowns issue of Beautiful/Decay is dedicated to those artists who pack their work not only with meaning but with a powerful punch line that keeps us coming back for more.