Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, the adage goes, but when it comes to looking at contemporary art, the eyes often have their work cut out for them. So much of what now passes for “art” in the trendy galleries strains the lenses that it’s a relief to welcome Artexpo to town. The 2006 annual exhibition at the Jacob Javits Center, March 2-6, is bigger than ever and even has an Oscar nominee headlining one of the exhibits: Terrence Howard, nominated for Best Actor for his performance in “Hustle and Flow,” will be unveiling the official art of the U.S. Olympic Team.

Whenever I’ve written a column on the subject of art, I’ll get the occasional snide e-mail asking, “What right do you have to criticize an artist’s work? What do you know about art?” I will freely admit that I just don’t understand what passes for art, in this day and age. I find the exhibit Bodies …the Exhibition, currently showing at the South Street Seaport, an interesting anatomical study for medical students – but can we really call it art? Bits and pieces of real human beings who donated their bodies to science have been plastinated and displayed in various poses exposing the inner workings of the human body. Similar corpse shows have attracted millions of visitors in galleries in Asia, Europe, and Los Angeles. Technically, I suppose, one can view this exhibit as art because the definition of art in the American Heritage Dictionary is:

“Human effort to imitate, supplement, alter, or counteract the work of nature. The conscious production or arrangement of sounds, colors, forms, movements, or other elements in a manner that affects the sense of beauty, specifically the production of the beautiful in a graphic or plastic medium.”

Corpse art, however, can hardly, however, appeal to our sense of beauty. But again, there is that “eye of the beholder” to consider.

I had always found it much easier to say, “I am a writer” than “I am an artist.” That word used to mean so much more than it does today, and I hesitated to think of myself even minutely in that league. “Artist” once conjured up images of Michelangelo, Da Vinci, and Rembrandt, but now it’s easier for me to identify with that group because the term “artist” has been so diluted.

So I answer those e-mails with the news that I am an artist with an opinion on modern art. I was the president of the Artists Federation, a nonprofit cultural organization, for three years. I have sold paintings and I have even had my paintings stolen. I can take a pencil and sketch a recognizable portrait of my inquisitor if I so desired. I therefore feel perfectly comfortable trashing junk art.

I also recognize the fact that there are different strokes for different folks, and one of the most pleasant aspects of the Artexpo is that one is virtually guaranteed to find something to suit one’s taste among the hundreds of exhibitors. The show began in 1978 and has showcased the art of Andy Warhol, Peter Max, Leroy Neiman, Robert Indiana, and others. Artexpo is the perfect place to buy the work of future stars before their prices go sky high. This year, actress Jane Seymour will be on hand exhibiting her fine art. There will also be exhibits of the works of famed rock ‘n’ roll artists such as Ron Wood, Grace Slick, and Janis Joplin.

These are well-known names, but the general public isn’t as familiar with the name of Steven Lavaggi, known to the world of art as “The Artist of Hope.” Mr. Lavaggi will be making his first appearance at the Javits Center, and it is his story that demonstrates the real meaning and value of art. His son was born with an open spine; his wife of 10 years left him, his son’s pancreas failed with full-blown diabetes leading to blindness, and his business partner stole his successful graphic arts company. Most of us would have rolled ourselves into a fetal position and given up, but Mr. Lavaggi turned his tragedies into hope, faith, and love.

This is what an artist does – creates beauty out of nothing with the simplest tools. Mr. Lavaggi has been spreading his message of hope in fund-raisers for the victims impacted by September 11 and Hurricane Katrina. In a recent press release, he said, “Without love, we are nothing. Only what we do out of a true heart of love for others will last for all eternity. With my creations, I am focused on inspiring Faith, Hope and especially love in our world.”

Incidentally, all of Mr. Lavaggi’s creations are easy on the eyes.