Many people get a lot of joy from Ross’s paintings and call for more recognition of his work in the Art World. The response from art critics and museums is generally the same: Ross is kitsch. This raises the question: how can Bob Ross be seen as kitsch?

The Internet meme is a phenomenon that emerged at the beginning of the 21st century and really got popular around 2010 with the rise of social media and smart phones. Whereas the concept of the meme, introduced by evolution biologist Richard Dawkins, already existed in the 1970s, the Internet meme is a relatively new form of visual culture.

The phenomenon of desire lines (olifantenpaadjes) shows that people on foot always want to take the shortest possible route. They show a clash between the ideas of the city planners and the needs of the people walking through the city. Why don’t city planners just make sidewalks where people want them?