The term "kitsch" is thought to originate from the German "kitschen," which means to collect junk from the street. Another possible source of the word is the German phrase "verkitschen," which means to make cheap. The general definition for the word kitsch is "to render worthless."
Kitsch art can be found in all manner of forms, including paintings, sculpture, figurines, literature, fashion and any other imaginable medium. Basically, kitsch can apply to any item having an aesthetic or artistic purpose that could be described as tawdry or tasteless.
Kitsch art is not associated with any specific time period or region and is often times retrospectively applied to older works of art that predated the term. Some examples of kitsch art may be specific to a time or a location, but other examples could be considered universal.
Some common examples of kitsch art include reproductions of master works of art done in distasteful manners, velvet tapestries featuring pictures of Elvis, paintings focusing on well-known advertisements or corporate logos, paintings or sculptures of animals placed in human poses, yard gnomes and modern angel sculptures with exaggerated features.