Nearly half of Brits admit they are ‘clueless’ when it comes to famous artworks

Nearly half of Brits admit they are ‘clueless’ when it comes to famous artworks (Image: DS Automobiles) Almost half of Brits admit they’re ‘clueless’ about art and artists, and don’t know their Bosch from their Basquiat – or their Raphael from their Rembrandt. A poll of 2,000 adults found that 46 percent know next to nothing about legendary painters, or their notable works. As many as 68 percent revealed they couldn’t name any paintings by Pablo Picasso, while 39 percent couldn’t name any by Vincent van Gogh – and 86 percent couldn’t identify artworks by Jackson Pollock. Prior to taking part in the study, 43 percent hadn’t heard of Henri Matisse, 54 percent weren’t familiar with Edvard Munch, and 78 percent didn’t know who Edward Hopper was. The research was commissioned by DS Automobiles, as the brand reveals a series of art tours  featuring the locations of ‘public art’ – statues, sculptures, murals, graffiti, and more – which can be seen for free. This comes as the study found 55 percent admitted entrance fees or admission costs put them off visiting local art galleries, cultural attractions, or events. It also emerged one in three aren’t clued up as to the whereabouts of local art initiatives, galleries, or public art installations. Julie David, managing director of DS Automobiles UK, said: ‘When travelling, it’s often easy to stop and take in your surroundings, running the risk of missing out on some of the accessible cultural experiences that the UK has to offer. ‘We hope that our new Art Tour routes offer drivers the opportunity to experience more of the cultural experiences that the UK has to offer, whilst bringing a little bit of the French Art of Travel to the roads of the UK.’ But nearly four in ten are keen to improve their knowledge on the subject (Image: DS Automobiles) The study also found 46 percent haven’t heard of ‘Girl with a Pearl Earring’, while 53 percent aren’t familiar with ‘The Starry Night’, and 62 percent can’t name any pieces by Banksy. Almost two-thirds (63 percent) also don’t know the names of any Andy Warhol works, and 74 percent don’t know any by Rembrandt. And while 38 percent are keen to improve their knowledge of the subject, the findings don’t necessarily mean those polled aren’t interested in, or appreciative of, art. Perhaps more significantly, 61 percent believe art – particularly ‘public art’ – is important to the cultural identity of local communities. More than half (53 percent) said it has the power to change perceptions of a particular village, town, city, or region. Further to this, the study, carried out through OnePoll, found the appeal of art is such that a quarter of adults have purposefully taken a detour during a drive, just to see an area’s street art. And further underlining their love of this method of creativity, 55 percent said public art installations, such as murals or sculptures in their community, ‘enhance’ their day.