Squidward
June 17th, 2025
Is Squidward a bad artist?
Resoundingly, no.
Citations:
- In the episode “MuseBob ModelPants”, S15, Squidward's art is in high demand once he starts painting Spongebob.
- In the episode “Artist Unknown”, S2, he chisels a revered copy of Michelangelo's David after freaking out.
The only thing holding him back is his entire portfolio is self portraits, which many other Bikini Bottomites see as narcissistic. Especially because they don't like him as a person, they won't like a drawing of him.
On a more meta note:
The artists on Spongebob are mostly post-Spumco cartoonists and low-brow comix people. It's reasonable to presume that the artists probably aren't the biggest fans of Squidward's type of (as seen by an average audience) pretentious fancy “high class” modern art. It's very easy to find an average Andy who just doesn't “get” abstract and performance art, and finds it inaccessible.
The animators probably had cruel teachers that acted like Squidward to Spongebob in art class - where they as students believed they were more capable than their teachers. But their teachers' insecurities made the teacher treat them poorly to knock them down a peg.
But the feelings of resentment that Squidward harbors as an unrecognized artist working a menial fast food job probably resonates with some of the staff as well.
Squidward is malleable in that he can represent the Everyman (common meme - “we admire spongebob as a kid, but grow up to become Squidwards”), as well as a hated personality. Either way, the viewer experiences catharsis through Squidward torture, whether we relate to him hating his job or whether we boo him for being so mean.
On a ultra meta note:
Vincent Van Gogh was also not very popular as an artist when he was alive. His art was considered rather crude, and he did quite a bit of self-portraiture as well. Perhaps Squidward's art will be more appreciated when he is dead and people don't know who he is as a person.
Homework:
What does it mean when certain people's self-portraits are seen as narcissistic? While more well liked personalities will have more people excited to have their 8×10 signed photo or autobiography in their hands?