I was recently reminded–today, actually–about art being in the eye of the beholder. Someone had experienced the opposite emotion of the one intended in response to a post. My first reaction, sadly, was, “That’s not how you’re supposed to take it!” First, my reaction, while good intentioned, certainly lacked sensitivity, but I was also forgetting the beauty of any form of art–you can interpret it in your own way.
How many times have you discussed a song with someone, each of you taking a different meaning from the lyrics? Or, when standing in front a visual art piece, each in a group sees something completely different? Even discussing a novel in high school prompts varying interpretations.
We went to Piccolo Spoleto this afternoon in Marion Square and marveled at the extraordinary talent of the photographers, painters, and performers. Regardless of the sweltering, 98 degree heat, the crowd reveled in the talents of all present, deciphering according to their own method of meaning.
I would always encourage my students to feel free to find their own meaning in a text, as long as that meaning could be supported by the work. The beauty lies in the thinking, experiencing, and appreciating.
The point of art, at least to me, begins with the expressions of the artist and continues with each subsequent understanding. Having someone else find meaning in your creation has to be the highest form of praise. That’s what makes art so universal.
Quote of the Day:
“An artist is not paid for his labor but for his vision”. James Whistler
Designs on Life 