Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Art is Objective

Just a thought I felt needed restating here on the new page. (For my FB friends who have read this a while back, bear with me as I consolidate a few of my art-ish ramblings. As always, you have no choice. This is my Blog.)
*


“Art is Subjective” is a 20th Century construct.

Art has definition. Art has meaning. Art is communication. Art may be vague, Art may require thought to be fully understood, but Art is about heart and emotion. It is the most primitive and th
e most advanced form of communication. Art requires at least two participants, the creator and the viewer. And—



*ART IS THE TRANSFERENCE OF EMOTION*



Therefore, by definition, Art is the Objective:



No one would read a novel if random words were strewn across a page.

—A book is judged on how the reader is effected and informed. Journeys we are compelled to complete. Characters we can understand and empathize with, lovers to pull at our hearts, haters to detest. We need to "care" in order to finish a novel and that is the author's primary responsibility.

No one would go to a concert where the musicians blasted out random notes under the premise of abstract musical theory and self-expression. 
(Someone might go but they would never return.)
—A good concerto will make you sigh. A great Requiem will make strong men weep.


No one would attend a ballet where the dancers just threw their bodies across the stage.
—We are moved not only by the story played out on stage but by the perfection of movement, choreography, acting and physical translation of the composer's intent in interpreting the music, either its theme, its tempo, its grandeur or subtleties. To be successful, dance requires the viewer's absolute attention and emotional involvement.

Each art form is judged by how greatly the recipients are moved, emotionally.



If one ascribes a value to a work of Art, that value must be drawn from the work and not from some abstract opinion of worth. If the success of a work of Art is to be measured, it must be valued on how well it achieves the above stated definition: how well it communicates emotionally. Simply stated, the more hearts a work of Art touches, the more successful the work must be valued.





If one admits that ART is an aesthetic and all art is open to interpretation by the perceiver, one must also question the broader definition of the word.











The reason Rockwell was the most popular artist in the country for over forty years was because he forced us to live in the moment of each painting and he effectively touched the most hearts.


J

1 comment:

  1. And thanks for your indulgence. It won't be your last, I assure you.
    J

    ReplyDelete