lowbrow

Lowbrow is a term used to describe culture, tastes, and media that are perceived as popular, accessible, and aimed at a broad audience, in contrast to highbrow culture, which is associated with refinement, scholarly analysis, and elite cultural capital. The label can apply to humor, visual art, literature, film, and other forms of entertainment that prize immediacy, entertainment value, and mass appeal over tradition, complexity, or prestige. In criticism, 'lowbrow' has often been used pejoratively. The distinction between highbrow, middlebrow, and lowbrow emerged in the early 20th century as critics sought to categorize cultural consumption by perceived sophistication.

Within art, the term 'lowbrow' also identifies a specific movement—often called pop surrealism—that arose in the late 20th century, notably in Los Angeles. Lowbrow artists produce work that draws on cartoons, comic-book aesthetics, pop imagery, and surreal or subversive themes, but remains accessible and visually legible to a broad audience. The movement blurred boundaries between underground comix, street art, and gallery presentation and has influenced contemporary illustration and design.

In its broader use, lowbrow can describe tastes and media that favor humor, sensationalism, or pulp tropes—from comic books and B movies to reality-based television and fast-paced genre fiction. Critics debate its cultural value, but proponents argue it reflects democratic accessibility and entertainment as legitimate cultural production.