Kitsch

Kitsch refers to art, objects, or design considered aesthetically lowbrow or sentimental, often mass-produced and aimed at broad popular taste. It frequently features bright colors, exaggerated forms, and emotionally charged motifs—romance, patriotism, nostalgia. Kitsch can be decorative or functional and is sometimes enjoyed sincerely and other times ironically.

The term originated in German-speaking countries in the 19th century and entered English in the early 20th. Its exact origin is uncertain; it broadly described cheap, gaudy or sentimental items rejected by avant-garde critics as lacking authenticity or refinement.

Kitsch flourished with industrial production and consumer culture, expanding after World War II as mass-market souvenirs and decorative objects proliferated. In the 1960s and 1970s it became a central issue in debates about taste, value, and the boundary between art and commerce. Some artists and designers embraced it or reworked it as camp or parody.

Common forms include decorative plates with sentimental greetings, velvet Elvis paintings, plastic figurines, tchotchkes, paint-by-number works, and various souvenir items. The line between kitsch, camp, and high art is often contested, and many works can be appreciated for different reasons.

Critics traditionally associate kitsch with vulgarity and commodification, while defenders highlight its emotional accessibility and democratic appeal. In contemporary discourse kitsch is a fluid category shaped by nostalgia, marketing, and media, and is frequently used or curated as a social or cultural signal.