I think that's fair, but would like to add the concept that 99.9% of the 'new' art is shite. Over time, the court of public opinion will winnow out the few things worth keeping.
That doesn't mean that people shouldn't hack out new territory, it's just that very little of it is of lasting value.
I think that's kind of the point- to try new techniques and find out what will stick.
When I go to art museums and see an abstract piece that looks like garbage and I can't pull any meaning out of it, I try to see if there's something technical behind it (technique or material used, usually) that would explain its significance.
I didn't get Andy Warhol's soup cans for the longest time til I realized that was how screen printing became popularized.
That doesn't mean that people shouldn't hack out new territory, it's just that very little of it is of lasting value.