This was certainly very interesting to read! Especially the part about "You're already looking at the damn painting!"

It's true, if it's so bad, why has the entire Universe conspired to foist your eyes upon and rub your nose in it?

Clearly, you have something to learn or to gain from this painting, as everything that happens is for our own personal and collective evolution and growth

You use the example of paintings or photography, but these two objects simply being extensions and expressions of the people who make them, it goes to show that we can be negatively charged towards people themselves...

This is something that is not only a huge theme in my life, but unless I'm an absolute lone psycho, I think many other's too... The shadow and all of our repressed traits which we do not allow to blossom negatively charge aspects of our consciousness or being, just as it positively charges others... When something appeals to our "ego" side we inherently praise and admire it and see it as an expression of something we relate to, when it is something that stirs our shadow side, we cannot withstand bashing and condemning it, as if to fool ourselves into thinking there is a measure of separation between us and it...

Ironically, like you say; the separation is an illusion... You're already looking at the damn painting!

Even though fantastic pieces of art may stir something inside ourselves and awaken that aspect of ourselves which is true mastery and perfection, an artwork that has been created without the skill, inspiration and creativity of a master may remind us of our own miserable failings or lack of talent... But really, it's all just projection, because beauty is in the eyes of the beholder....

A master painter might recognize his earlier self in such a work of art that most would consider ugly... Indeed, maybe even his first works were judged so harshly and he can understand that at no point in his life did his source of inspiration change, he just got better and doing what made him happy and fulfilled and satisfied him...

(Sorry I'm using him but her/she totally applicable!)

So yeah! Taking a chill pill and appreciating the beauty of the Universe in all the various ways it presents itself to us, and not taking things so god damn seriously, because after all... : Its all in our head people!!!