A
Artist: Avant-garde artists intend their work to challenge a society' s mainstream beliefs and initiate change. And some art collectors claim that an avant-garde work that becomes popular in its own time is successful. However, a society' s mainstream beliefs do not generally show any significant changes over a short period of time. Ttherefore, when an avant-garde work becomes popular it is a sign that the work is not successful, since it does not fulfil the intentions of its creator. The reference to the claim of certain art collectors plays which one of the following roles in the artist's argument?
A: It identifies a view that is ultimately disputed by the argument.
B: It provides support for the initial premise in the argument.
C: It provides support for a counterargument to the initial premise.
D: It identifies a position supported by the initial premise in the argument.