Yasmina Reza’s ART is an institution in itself, one of the rare plays that joins a select list of works and finds its way to seemingly every theatre town, making a splash as a play that must be seen and discussed. Its universal themes seem to have universal appeal, as its stunning international success has proven from the U.S. and the U.K. to Dubai and India.
The story, about art and friendship, is marvelously simple. A dermatologist, Serge, buys a modern painting for a relatively large sum of money (200,000 French francs). It is basically a large canvas, about five feet by four, painted white, with "fine white diagonal scars". One friend to whom he shows off his new purchase, Marc, is completely unsettled by Serge's purchase. Another mutual friend, Yvan, is more ambivalent.
At issue, in part, is the famous question: "What is art?" The white canvas pushes at the limits of the definition in the age-old debate. There are, however, more layers to the question, and to Reza's play.
However, Serge also wants validation from his friends. They in turn question their relationship with a man willing to spend such a large amount of money on something that they find hard pressed to consider ‘art.’
Yvan, teetering uncommitted between the two extreme positions, is also trying to prepare for his wedding. The joyous event gets dragged into the fight as well as the conflict becomes much more personal. In the end the play is, in fact, not about art at all. It is about the art of friendship and the often funny, sometimes poignant things people do to keep relationships alive. The end of the play, a stunning twist, tells us a lot about how truly difficult and rewarding the art of friendship can be.
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Yasmina Reza’s ART is an institution in itself, one of the rare plays that joins a select list of works and finds its way to seemingly every theatre town, making a splash as a play that must be seen and discussed. Its universal themes seem to have universal appeal, as its stunning international success has proven from the U.S. and the U.K. to Dubai and India.
At issue, in part, is the famous question: "What is art?" The white canvas pushes at the limits of the definition in the age-old debate. There are, however, more layers to the question, and to Reza's play. 
Yvan, teetering uncommitted between the two extreme positions, is also trying to prepare for his wedding. The joyous event gets dragged into the fight as well as the conflict becomes much more personal. In the end the play is, in fact, not about art at all. It is about the art of friendship and the often funny, sometimes poignant things people do to keep relationships alive. The end of the play, a stunning twist, tells us a lot about how truly difficult and rewarding the art of friendship can be.
