The "it's only art if it's new and unique" is an offshoot of post-modern "anything can be art" bullshit that leads to people calling diarrhea splattered on a canvas art or a banana taped to a wall art.
Nice things look nice.
Ugly things are ugly.
Ugly art is shitty art regardless of how unique it is.
Nice looking art is nice art regardless of how unique it is.