The contemporary art world is such an insular place. It often makes you wonder what’s the point of it all? And what does any of it have to do with the real-world?

And seeing Art & Copy, a documentary by director Doug Pray about the advertising industry at the Bill Cosford Cinema at the University of Miami last weekend only strengthened my doubts.

How, you may ask, is a documentary about the advertising industry so pertinent to the world of art? Well, aside from a general history lesson of the ad business, the film did a great job highlighting some of the industry’s most seminal campaigns. Everything from iconic Nike slogan, “Just Do It” to Ronald Regan’s “Morning in America” political ad. The film makes a strong case that these events became/were cultural defining moments despite the banality of their origins. And as worthless and disposable as the work may seem, advertising still has a legitimate cultural function in modern-day society.

Take this statues from Ancient Greece. It says a lot about the time and place from which it came. The work serves a religious purpose, advances a narrative that was important to the people of that time, and also illustrates the ideal values of this civilization. And you can say the same thing about modern day advertising, and doubly so thousands of years from now when archeologists excavate the ruins of our civilization.

The creative minds working in advertising are making work that’s probably more relevant than the average artist working in contemporary art. Unfortunately, so much contemporary art is so clinically reflective of the culture surrounding it, and as a result totally out-of-touch with it. At this point in time maybe it’d be more interesting for artists to try and create work that’s truly from the culture instead of merely about it.