Introduction
The documentary My Kid Could Paint That looks into the life of a four-year old girl called Marla whose abstract paintings had attracted much media attention. Her paintings had been in high demand going for thousands of dollars. The skills demonstrated in the paintings were unlike what other four year old could paint arousing criticisms on the authenticity of the paintings.
Abstract art is highly regarded in the art industry, which celebrates persons gifted in abstract painting. Some of these paintings are displayed in public art galleries for public viewing. Few children prodigies can paint abstractly as Marla did; a fact that raises issues of parental assistance on children’s paintings. The film also raises the questions about abstract painting that is normally associated with experienced and gifted adults.
Abstract Art
The film shows how art and especially abstract painting is highly appreciated in the art world. Marla becomes a media celebrity, with the display of paintings attributed to her at art galleries. The art world appreciates pieces of art done by talented personalities. The film also shows the fascination that people have regarding art and abstract painting. Talented artists garner international media attention just like Marla, who takes the art world by a storm with her paintings which the film describes as superb and could fetch thousands of dollars.
However, in the film Marla is not seen to do painting from the start to the final stages in front of the camera though the paintings were all attributed to her. The film shows dozens of her works that were breathtaking to most abstract art fans with most of them selling quickly and at high prices. However, controversy arises over the authenticity of her works.
People admire and appreciate art with the pieces of art fetching thousands of dollars. Nevertheless, art pieces especially abstract paintings are sophisticated and complex. The controversy over the authenticity of the art pieces attributed to Marla shows that most people do not trust child prodigies in the abstract art. The film questions whether the pieces of work attributed to Marla are indeed hers or she had assistance from the parents.
The film also raises questions regarding the media’s habit of building up a subject and then tearing it down. Marla’s exceptional abstract painting at such an early age attracts international media attention. However, new questions about child prodigy arise as the media treats her paintings with concern and suspicion over their authenticity. The media seeks to discredit the young artist by claiming that the parents might have doctored her paintings.
The parental influence is apparent towards the end of the film when the father demands that the camera operator stop filming the girl while painting. This portrays that the parents might have directed the paintings as they protect her from media publicity. It also shows the media’s intentions of portraying that the paintings were not done by the young girl as purported by the parents.
Conclusion
Marla’s abstract paintings represent extraordinary work from a four-year-old art prodigy. Her works attract media attention that treats her work with both fascination and suspicion over its authenticity. The film demonstrates the appreciation that people have on art. The film also shows the parental control that people have on their children. Marl’s protracted media attention over her ingenious paintings is overemphasized in the film, as her paintings done in the glare of the media are not as good as those done away from the media are.