6 Common Misconceptions about

Art and the Art World

June 30, 2018

 6,696 2 minutes read

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Contrary to what most people think, the so-called “Art World” could be just as dark and
mysterious even to those who have been in the industry for years. Despite its constant
change of tradition and values, there are a few things that remain the same, particularly the
mistaken views of people regarding what art is and how the art world works. Listed below
are some of the common misconceptions about art and the art world:  
1. Art must be perfect.
Misconception: Because it’s art, everything must be well-thought out and properly
executed. It requires nothing more than perfection, and anything less is considered invalid.
Reality: In the words of the most famous surrealist, Salvador Dali, “Have no fear of
perfection, you’ll never reach it.” While the concept of perfection is already unrealistic in
itself, then so is the idea of trying to perfect something that has never been done –
especially if it’s your original work.
 The iconic painting,
The Persistence of Memory, 1931 by Salvador Dali
2. Drawing and painting go hand in hand.
Misconception: Because painting is simply a coloured drawing, one must first learn how to
draw before he/she can actually paint. Very much like not being able to run if you can’t
walk, the artist must first learn how to draw a decent line, before he/she could actually paint
inside it.
Reality: As Leonardo Da Vinci once said, “Painting embraces all the 10 functions of the eye:
darkness, light, body and colour, shape and location, distance and closeness, motion and
rest.”  Painting requires its own set of skills. Being good at drawing doesn’t necessarily make
you a good painter – in fact, some artists don’t even have to draw in the canvas just so they
could paint.
 Anatomical Studies of
the Shoulder, from the codex of Leonardo da Vinci
3. More colours are always better.  
Misconception: Because art is all about artistic value and colours are all about raising it,
naturally, more colours equals more aesthetic value.
Reality: In the words of Henri Matisse, “A colourist makes his presence known even in a
simple charcoal drawing.” The number of colours used doesn’t really make the painting –
it’s how those colours are used.  With proper contrasting and toning, an artist can make a
painting come to life with only two colours at hand, as compared to those who basically use
the entire spectrum.

Nu Bleu (Blue Nude

II), 1952, a lithograph by Henri Matisse
4. Small canvases over big canvases.
Misconception: Because logic dictates that small canvases are easier to paint than big
canvases, and they take up less space and less time. Budget-wise, it also saves up the
amount of paint used.
Reality: As Vincent Van Gogh once said, “Can you believe it is not all easier to draw a figure
about a foot high than to draw a small one? On the contrary, it is much more difficult.” Why,
it’s because size is subjective. In the end, it all comes down to what type of painting you
wanted to go for – you can’t really apply ‘one size fits’ all if your objective is to envelop your
viewers. Take Claude Monet’s Water Lilies, for example.  

Self-Portrait With
Bandaged Ear and Pipe, 1889, a clear depiction of the idea of a “tortured artist”
5. Painting is easy.
Misconception: Because they have talent, it shouldn’t take long for an artist to finish one
painting.
Reality: As stated by Edgar Degas, “Painting is easy when you don’t know how, but very
difficult when you do.” Everything an artist does with ease was paid with many years of hard
work and practicing.
 Andy Warhol’s
famous Campbell’s Soup Cans, 1962
6. Quantity equals quality.
Misconception: Because higher prices almost often indicate higher quality, therefore, it’s
not good art if the price tag is cheap.
Reality: In the words of Andy Warhol, “Everything has its beauty, but not everyone sees it.”
Sometimes the most ordinary paintings will be ridiculously expensive. Sometimes the best
ones will be ridiculously cheap. The keyword here is ridiculous: it is ridiculous to define a
painting’s quality through coins and bills.
Consider them myths or misconceptions, these ideas have been perpetuated not just in the
media or pop culture but even by artists themselves. 
To stay inspired and learn more about creativity, check out some interesting lists here.
The World Bank provides financing and services to low and middle-income
countries to support development and change. Development projects are
implemented by borrowing countries following certain rules and procedures to
guarantee that the money reaches its intended target.

The project cycle is the framework used to design, prepare, implement, and

supervise projects. The duration of the project cycle is long by commercial
standards. It is not uncommon for a project to last more than four years; from
the time it is identified until the time it is completed.

A World Bank project consists of six stages:

 Identification

 Preparation

 Appraisal

 Negotiation/Approval

 Implementation/Support

 Completion/Evaluation
Identification
The World Bank, jointly with IFC and MIGA, works with a borrowing country's
government and other stakeholders to determine how financial and other
assistance can be designed to have the largest impact. After analytical work is
conducted, the borrower and the Bank Group produce a strategy,
called Country Partnership Framework, to identify the country’s highest
priorities for reducing poverty and improving living standards.

Identified projects can range across the economic and social spectrum from
infrastructure, to education, to health, to government financial management.
The World Bank and the government agree on an initial project concept and
its beneficiaries, and the Bank's project team outlines the basic elements in
a Project Concept Note. This document identifies proposed objectives,
imminent risks, alternative scenarios, and a likely timetable for the project
approval process. Two other Bank documents are generated during this
phase. The Project Information Document outlines the scope of the
intended project and contains useful public information for tailoring bidding
documents to the proposed project, and the publicly available Integrated
Safeguards Data Sheet identifies key issues related to the Bank's safeguard
policies for environmental and social issues.
Project Information Document Integrated Safeguards Data Sheet

Project Preparation
The borrower government and its implementing agency or agencies are
responsible for the project preparation phase, which can take several years to
conduct feasibility studies and prepare engineering and technical designs, to
name only a few of the work products required. The government contracts
with consultants and other public sector companies for goods, works and
services, if necessary, not only during this phase but also later in the project's
implementation phase. Beneficiaries and stakeholders are also consulted now
to obtain their feedback and ensure the project meets their needs. Due to the
amount of time, effort and resources involved, the full commitment of the
government to the project is vital.

The World Bank generally takes an advisory role and offers analysis and
advice when requested, during this phase. However, the Bank does assess
the relevant capacity of the implementing agencies at this point, in order to
reach agreement with the borrower about arrangements for overall project
management, such as the systems required for financial management,
procurement, reporting, and monitoring and evaluation.

Earlier screening by Bank staff may have determined that a proposed project
could have environmental or social impacts that are included under the World
Bank's Safeguard Policies. If necessary, the borrower now prepares
an Environmental Assessment Report that analyzes the planned project's
likely environmental impact and describes steps to mitigate possible harm. In
the event of major environmental issues in a country, the
borrower's Environmental Action Plan describes the problems, identifies the
main causes, and formulates policies and concrete actions to deal with them.
From a social point of view, various studies aimed at analyzing a project's
potentially adverse effects on the health, productive resources, economies,
and cultures of indigenous peoples may be undertaken. An Indigenous
Peoples Plan identifies the borrower's planned interventions in indigenous
areas that may be needed, with the objective of avoiding or lessening
potential negative impacts on the people. These plans are integrated into the
design of the project.
Environmental Assessment Indigenous Peoples Plan
Environmental Action Plan Procurement Plan

Safeguard Policies
Projects supported through the Investment Project Financing instrument are
governed by operational policies and procedures which are designed to
ensure that the projects are economically, financially, socially and
environmentally sound. The new World Bank Environmental and Social
Framework (ESF) approved by the World Bank Board on August 4, 2016,
expands protections for people and environment in Bank-financed projects.
The new requirements took effect in 2018 and apply to new investment
projects for which a concept note is issued. Please note: this page is being
updated to reflect the new requirements under the Environmental and
Social Framework (ESF).

Project Appraisal
Appraisal gives stakeholders an opportunity to review the project design in
detail and resolve any outstanding questions. The government and the World
Bank review the work done during the identification and preparation phases
and confirm the expected project outcomes, intended beneficiaries and
evaluation tools for monitoring progress. Agreement is reached on the viability
of all aspects of the project at this time. The Bank team confirms that all
aspects of the project are consistent with all World Bank operations
requirements and that the government has institutional arrangements in place
to implement the project efficiently. All parties agree on a project timetable
and on public disclosure of key documents and identify any unfinished
business required for final Bank approval. The final steps are assessment of
the project's readiness for implementation and agreement on conditions for
effectiveness (agreed upon actions prior to implementation). The Project
Information Document is updated and released when the project is approved
for funding.

Project Approval
Once all project details are negotiated and accepted by the government and
the World Bank, the project team prepares the Project Appraisal
Document (for investment project financing) or the Program
Document (for development policy financing), along with other financial and
legal documents, for submission to the Bank's Board of Executive Directors
for consideration and approval. When funding approval is obtained, conditions
for effectiveness are met, and the legal documents are accepted and signed,
the implementation phase begins.
Project Appraisal Document Program Document Loans and Credits

Project Implementation
The borrower government implements the development project with funds
from the World Bank. With technical assistance and support from the Bank's
team, the implementing government agency prepares the specifications for
the project and carries out all procurement of goods, works and services
needed, as well as any environmental and social impact mitigation set out in
agreed upon plans. Financial management and procurement specialists on
the Bank's project team ensure that adequate fiduciary controls on the use
of project funds are in place. All components at this phase are ready, but
project delays and unexpected events can sometimes prompt the
restructuring of project objectives.

Once underway, the implementing government agency reports regularly on

project activities. The government and the Bank also join forces twice a year
to prepare a review of project progress, the Implementation Status and
Results Report.
The project's progress, outcomes and impact on beneficiaries are monitored
by the government and the Bank throughout the implementation phase to
obtain data to evaluate and measure the ultimate effectiveness of the
operation and the project in terms of results.
Implementation Status and Results Report
Project Completion

When a project is completed and closed at the end of the loan disbursement
period, a process that can take anywhere from 1-10 years, the World Bank
and the borrower government document the results achieved; the problems
encountered; the lessons learned; and the knowledge gained from carrying
out the project. A World Bank operations team compiles this information and
data in an Implementation Completion and Results Report, using input
from the implementing government agency, co-financiers, and other
partners/stakeholders. The report describes and evaluates final project
outcomes. The final outcomes are then compared to expected results. The
information gained during this exercise is also often used to determine what
additional government measures and capacity improvements are needed to
sustain the benefits derived from the project. In addition, the evaluation team
assesses how well the entire operation complied with the Bank's operations
policies and accounts for the use of Bank resources. The knowledge gained
from this results measurement process is intended to benefit similar projects
in the future.
Implementation Completion and Results Report

Evaluation
The Bank's Independent Evaluation Group assesses the performance of
roughly one project out of four (about 70 projects a year), measuring
outcomes against the original objectives, sustainability of results and
institutional development impact. From time to time, IEG also produces Impact
Evaluation Reports to assess the economic worth of projects and the long-
term effects on people and the environment against an explicit counter-
factual.
Project Performance Assessment Reports Impact Evaluation Report
All project and bidding documents are made available to public.
Documents and Reports
Projects and Operations
Financing Instruments

 Investment Project Financing provides IBRD loan, IDA credit/grant

and guarantee financing to governments for activities that create the physical/social
infrastructure necessary to reduce poverty and create sustainable development.

 Development Policy Financing provides IBRD loan, IDA credit/grant

and guarantee budget support to governments or a political subdivision for a
program of policy and institutional actions to help achieve sustainable, shared growth
and poverty reduction.

 Program-for-Results links disbursement of funds directly to the delivery of defined

results, helping countries improve the design and implementation of their own
development programs and achieve lasting results by strengthening institutions and
building capacity. 

 Trust funds and grants allow scaling up of activities, notably in fragile and crisis-
affected situations; enable the Bank Group to provide support when our ability to
lend is limited; provide immediate assistance in response to natural disasters and
other emergencies; and pilot innovations that are later mainstreamed into our
operations. 

 Private sector options for financing, direct investment and guarantees are provided
by MIGA and IFC. Guarantees can also be provided through World Bank (IBRD/IDA)
for private sector projects.

 Customized options and risk management

 Multiphase Programmatic Approach (MPA) allows countries the flexibility to

implement an approach to achieve development objectives in stages when: the 
development challenge is complex; it would take a longer time to achieve the
objectives; it would take a longer time to prepare one large project; the solution
needs a broader and comprehensive approach; or when a stop-and-go approach is
not feasible.  Projects under an MPA program may be financed by Investment
Project Financing; or Program-for-Results Financing, or their combination. 

 
Investment Project Financing (IPF) is used in all sectors, with a concentration in the
infrastructure, human development, agriculture, and public administration sectors. IPF is
focused on the medium to long-term (5 to 10 year horizon) and supports a wide range of
activities including capital-intensive investments, agricultural development, service delivery,
credit and grant delivery [including micro-credit], community-based development, and
institution building.

Unlike commercial lending, Bank IPF not only supplies borrowing countries with needed
financing but also serves as a vehicle for sustained, global knowledge transfer and technical
assistance. This includes support to analytical and design work in the conceptual stages of
project preparation, technical support and expertise (including in the areas of project
management and fiduciary and environmental and social activities) during implementation,
and institution building throughout the project.

Review and Reform - In 2013, the World Bank clarified processes, added more flexibility

for borrowers, strengthened effectiveness and developmental impact. See this Briefing on
Changes. In 2017 the Multiphase Programmatic Approach (MPA) was developed and
approved for use. See more on MPA.

IPF Resources                                               

 Bank Policy: Investment Project Financing (formerly Operational Policy 10.00)

 Bank Directive: Investment Project Financing  (formerly Bank Procedure 10.00)

 Reform Paper, Board of Directors, 2012

 
Development Policy Financing (DPF) provides rapidly-disbursing financing to help a borrower
address actual or anticipated development financing requirements. DPF aims to support the
borrower in achieving sustainable, shared growth and poverty reduction through a program of
policy and institutional actions, for example, strengthening public financial management,
improving the investment climate, addressing bottlenecks to improve service delivery, and
diversifying the economy. DPF supports such reforms through non-earmarked general budget
financing that is subject to the borrower's own implementation processes and systems. The Bank's
use of DPF in a country is determined in the context of the Country Partnership Framework
(CPF).

The DPF Policy emphasizes country ownership and alignment, stakeholder consultation,
donor coordination, and results, and requires a systematic treatment of fiduciary risks and of
the potential environmental and distributional consequences of supported policies. DPF can
be extended as loans, credits/grants, or guarantees. Funds are made available to the client
based on:

 maintenance of an adequate macroeconomic policy framework, as determined by

the Bank with inputs from IMF assessments

 satisfactory implementation of the overall reform program

 completion of a set of critical policy and institutional actions agreed between the
Bank and the client.

Development Policy Operations: Prior Actions 

Prior Actions are policy and institutional actions deemed critical to achieving the objectives
of a program supported by a DPF operation. These present the legal terms defined in the
loan agreement that have to be met for each operation before disbursement. A database of
prior actions for all DPF operations since fiscal year 2005 is updated annually at the end of
each fiscal year by the Operations Policy and Country Services Vice Presidency.

Reviews of Development Policy Financing Use

The 2015 review focused on how reforms supported by DPF contributed to equitable growth

and poverty reduction, taking into account environmental, social and economic
sustainability. Previous reviews were done in 2012 and 2009.

DPF Resources  
  Bank Policy: Development Policy Financing (formerly Operational Policy 8.60)

 Bank Procedure 8.60: Development Policy Financing  

 Development Policy Actions Database (DPAD) 

Project Example

Disaster Risk Management DPF with Catastrophe Deferred Drawdown Option (Cat DDO)

Multiphase Programmatic Approach (MPA) allows countries to structure a long, large, or

complex engagement as a set of smaller linked operations (or phases), under one program.
As a result of breaking down a single loan into phases, Bank clients can match borrowing
more closely with financing needs, permitting more efficient use of financial resources for
both the Bank and clients. This “adaptive approach” also strengthens the potential for
crowding in other sources of capital to support development objectives.

Subsequent phases of MPA programs will be prepared as separate operations with rigorous
adherence to all applicable World Bank policies with regard to management reviews,
fiduciary assessments, environmental and social safeguards assessments, and timely
public disclosures and consultation with affected people.

This approach also encourages more learning and adaptation, as subsequent phases will
be informed by lessons learned in previous ones. This will help ensure operations are more
responsive to changing country circumstances.

MPA Resources

 Multiphase Programmatic Approach Paper, World Bank Board of Directors, 2017

First project using MPA

Madagascar - Improving Nutrition Outcomes  

Project Examples

Ethiopia Renewable Energy Guarantees Program

Sri Lanka Climate Resilience Program

Western Balkans Trade and Transport Regional Program