Kandinsky wrote, "“To those that are not accustomed to it, the inner beauty appears as ugliness because humanity in general inclines to the outer and knows nothing of the inner.” I sort of agree with him. Kandinsky created beautiful abstract art and knew that most people were attracted beauty -- bright colors, elegant forms -- and perhaps was disappointed to find people weren't willing to look beyond the initial flash.
I believe some art will immediately grab us and mesmerize us with its boldness. Like some personalities, it may take a bit of time to see beyond the noise in order to investigate the quiet individual that resides within. Other art is gentler and requires that you come closer to see the subtle history that it has lived. Regardless of when you get around to seeing the inner beauty of a painting or a person, I always find it's the most fascinating layer, the one or ones that lie beneath. There are battles etched in to each layer, there are triumphs, insecurities, and resiliencies. There is nothing ugly about this inner beauty because what is deemed ugly will reside directly next to what is deemed beautiful and without each other the work is incomplete, we would be incomplete.