Living life the artists' way
What is an artist? This question has always been on the forefront of my thoughts as many passerbys make the claim. An artist, historically, has never always had a specified role as artist until the West, in its categorization process, specified the title. Art always accompanied other aspects of life in tribal societies. Shamans expressed art in their journey to the spirit realm; ritual dances and rights of passage were always accompanied by culture, artistic expressions; and music served a purpose and contained a deeper meaning in tune with nature. Where has this holistic view of art gone and has its replacement, namely the title of 'artist,' really exhibited true art? Art was not a rebellion originally, but an expression of culture, a part of the culture.
Though art has become just 'for me.' Its relative meaning lends a universality characteristic of the mosaic model of a heterogenous culture -- the celebration of differences -- rather than an outdated melting pot model. Many artists contend that their art is either 1) an expression of the self, 2) an expression of something greater than the self, or 3) a profession. The first of these three delineates a view that is often accompanied by those who consider their art something that they have personally done, not for others or for a purpose, but for themselves (perhaps these are the rebellious artists). The second view (2) is best illustrated by Madeleine L'Engle in her book Walking on Water. She gives a definition of art in light of her faith in the Christian deity. She 'dies' to her art; her art does not come from her, but is a gift; art is a expression of core values; it is sacrificial, cathartic, universal, (seemingly) atemporal, an act of love, salvific, holistic, prophetic, a communal construct, and active; it is not a means to an end, but is an end in and of itself. The third view is very much in tune with the capitalistic socio-economic climate of the West and is most likely a means to a monetary end or perhaps to a position of prestige.
If art does not ring true in light of my values or experience within the confines of my culture, then it is hard for me to find it an aesthetic activity. Can I relate to what I am seeing, hearing, touching, etc? What does the piece say to me, to the world? What is its universal character? Art is definately not something analyzable in the world of facts, and so cannot be objectified, but its power cannot be ignored.
Symbols, icons are foundations for American patriotism, representing an ideal that most Americans agree to be worthy of their effort and support. Can art be a method of political control? Of course. Commercial art in our culture has proven that as advertising and marketing have realized the natural human capacity and longing for artistic expression, it has exploited this to sell products and promote materialism and individualism any way possible, which has crippled the idea of individual virtue. Materialism and individualism are not in and of themselves evil, but without a responsible knowledge of the culture and artistic expression, they can be misunderstood and misused.
What then is true art? Or more generally, what is truth as expressed through art? Does all art contain a unifying universal characteristic shared by and distinctive of humanity? The only conclusion I can arrive at is that art is meant to be experienced by more than one person, more than the one through which it comes into existence. The bond between artist and art, art and the individual, art and the community, the artist and the community, and the community to itself is defined in the creative, living relationship they have with each other. Human beings need meaning and purpose, to what end and why is up for grabs.
What then is the role of the artist in contemporary society? Is he a rebel, someone different? The artist is a prophet speaking a universal message to all because he has the vision of the age to see culture as it is. Her epistemology is in tune with something greater than her self and her reality is her relationship to humanity. Speaking words of truth so that others can hear and understand is salvation. In essence, the true artist is a modern-day miracle -- not a superstitious, unnatural happening, but a miracle in nature nonetheless. Because the artist's 'vision' is different, his journey is difficult, full of hardship and distress, full of denial and loneliness. Such are the effects of presenting truth to people that value security and feel a sense of superiority. Further, in a induction-oriented society the artist is constantly hurt by those seeking to devalue art into something as a means to an end, and by the emphasis to objectify everything by means of the scientific method. The artist knows that there is more to life than 'scientific progress,' that is unmistakingly powerful, but mistakingly limited in its scope and its unfinished definition of what is real.
Though art has become just 'for me.' Its relative meaning lends a universality characteristic of the mosaic model of a heterogenous culture -- the celebration of differences -- rather than an outdated melting pot model. Many artists contend that their art is either 1) an expression of the self, 2) an expression of something greater than the self, or 3) a profession. The first of these three delineates a view that is often accompanied by those who consider their art something that they have personally done, not for others or for a purpose, but for themselves (perhaps these are the rebellious artists). The second view (2) is best illustrated by Madeleine L'Engle in her book Walking on Water. She gives a definition of art in light of her faith in the Christian deity. She 'dies' to her art; her art does not come from her, but is a gift; art is a expression of core values; it is sacrificial, cathartic, universal, (seemingly) atemporal, an act of love, salvific, holistic, prophetic, a communal construct, and active; it is not a means to an end, but is an end in and of itself. The third view is very much in tune with the capitalistic socio-economic climate of the West and is most likely a means to a monetary end or perhaps to a position of prestige.
If art does not ring true in light of my values or experience within the confines of my culture, then it is hard for me to find it an aesthetic activity. Can I relate to what I am seeing, hearing, touching, etc? What does the piece say to me, to the world? What is its universal character? Art is definately not something analyzable in the world of facts, and so cannot be objectified, but its power cannot be ignored.
Symbols, icons are foundations for American patriotism, representing an ideal that most Americans agree to be worthy of their effort and support. Can art be a method of political control? Of course. Commercial art in our culture has proven that as advertising and marketing have realized the natural human capacity and longing for artistic expression, it has exploited this to sell products and promote materialism and individualism any way possible, which has crippled the idea of individual virtue. Materialism and individualism are not in and of themselves evil, but without a responsible knowledge of the culture and artistic expression, they can be misunderstood and misused.
What then is true art? Or more generally, what is truth as expressed through art? Does all art contain a unifying universal characteristic shared by and distinctive of humanity? The only conclusion I can arrive at is that art is meant to be experienced by more than one person, more than the one through which it comes into existence. The bond between artist and art, art and the individual, art and the community, the artist and the community, and the community to itself is defined in the creative, living relationship they have with each other. Human beings need meaning and purpose, to what end and why is up for grabs.
What then is the role of the artist in contemporary society? Is he a rebel, someone different? The artist is a prophet speaking a universal message to all because he has the vision of the age to see culture as it is. Her epistemology is in tune with something greater than her self and her reality is her relationship to humanity. Speaking words of truth so that others can hear and understand is salvation. In essence, the true artist is a modern-day miracle -- not a superstitious, unnatural happening, but a miracle in nature nonetheless. Because the artist's 'vision' is different, his journey is difficult, full of hardship and distress, full of denial and loneliness. Such are the effects of presenting truth to people that value security and feel a sense of superiority. Further, in a induction-oriented society the artist is constantly hurt by those seeking to devalue art into something as a means to an end, and by the emphasis to objectify everything by means of the scientific method. The artist knows that there is more to life than 'scientific progress,' that is unmistakingly powerful, but mistakingly limited in its scope and its unfinished definition of what is real.
posted by Timcom at 9:01 AM
1 Comments:
to see culture as is, one must be a rebel, able to see what is reality. Yet, community is the beauty of such art, the salvation of the artist, and the betterment of the whole.
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