Nobrow
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
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- "Both high and low culture have produced masterpieces and works of mediocrity. It is our task to find beauty in unexpected places."
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Definition
The term nobrow is a neologism derived from highbrow and lowbrow coined by John Seabrook in Nobrow: The Culture of Marketing, the Marketing of Culture (2000). Highbrow denotes a "person of superior intellect and taste," first attested in 1902. Lowbrow is a "person who is not intellectual" is also first attested 1902, said to have been coined by humorist Will Irwin. (source: Etymology online)
In the words of John Seabrook:
Nobrow is my word for the end of the old cultural categories of "highbrow" and "lowbrow" culture. High and low have been absorbed by a new, supercharged pop culture. In this world I'm calling Nobrow, pop culture serves the purpose of both the old high and low culture. You can have refined highbrow pop conversations about indie rock, with references to bands like Pavement and Black Flag, or you can can go crazy for Britney Spears. The book is my attempt to describe this new landscape. --John Seabrook
Nobrow filmmakers
Roger Corman includes high and low art tropes in his work.
Nobrow television
The Simpsons referential smorgasbord.
Nobrow actors
Klaus Kinski working with Jess Franco and Werner Herzog.
Nobrow publishers
Eric Losfeld published high art (mainly surrealism) and low art cultural artifacts such as comic books, erotic books, etcetera.
