|
Yin & Yang
My point of view may seem simplistic, however I offer it as food for thought. According to Eastern Philosophy everything in the universe seeks balance, a sense of equilibrium. I feel that we artists are blessed with an innate connection to the intrinsic beauty of the world around us. Traditionally artists have seen beauty and called attention to it by sharing their insights through their work.
I agree with Peter. I feel the purpose of art is to elevate the human condition. What makes a great Rembrandt painting so compelling? Is it the paint surface, the draftsmanship or the sensitivity towards light? I believe all these factors certainly come into play, however, to me it is his spirituality, his sense of oneness with his subject that moves and connects me.
Today we live in a world that is grossly out of balance. We are disconnected from nature due to our reliance on technology. We walk around with a bottle of water in one hand and a cell phone in the other. We eat processed foods. We are bombarded by microwaves and electromagnetic radiation. Most people feel disconnected. How could they not? People walk with their heads down. They even actually believe that a mechanically formulated image (a photograph) can capture the essence of a person as well as a hand painted portrait.
People are seeking more and more severe stimulation in an ineffective effort to regain their equilibrium. However trying to rebalance a grossly lopsided state of equilibrium invariably leads to overcompensating in the opposite direction. Personally, I think this explains the big attraction people have for modern art, whose main emphasis seems to be the peripatetic vacillation between extreme movements. It
|