Artistic Purpose: Everyone’s Is Different
Sunday, 27. May 2012 23:42
This past weekend, I had the opportunity to interact with interviewers, curators, and other artists at a reception and after-party for a show in which I had a piece. Only after I had read the article that resulted from one set of interviews did I rethink the conversations with those that I had met. It seems that a significant number of people came with the idea that those who make art make it for one predetermined reason, although that reason seems to vary from person to person.
This realization supplied an explanation for the mismatch I felt with one of the interviewers. We were coming from two entirely different places with regard to the reason for the origin of an artwork, and I suspect, the functions of art as well. This caused me to become curious as to how someone would develop a preconception of artistic purpose.
My guess is that this predetermination is the result of being “educated” in “what to look for in art.” Many take art classes (or acting classes, or dance classes, or sculpture classes, or photography classes), and often the instructor will ask what the work is about, and the student is expected to explain his/her work—or the work in question— to the satisfaction of the instructor and the class. Students quickly learn what plays in terms of explanation and what falls short, given the expectations of those in the room.
Some come to believe that this is a proper way to discuss art. As a result of these discussions some students change the way they think about art and creativity. Some would argue that changing the way you think about what you create is a good thing. However, if the result is that you mold your work into someone else’s idea of what constitutes good art or the appropriate reasons for creating art, are you still an original voice, or just a parrot?
The best teachers I know in all artistic disciplines are very careful to separate giving students information or craft skills and helping students explore creativity. Never do they expect students to meet certain expectation in terms of what the work is about. They are, however, quite adept at asking question that get the student to make choices, to think, to explore in his/her own mind if a different way of looking at the subject would yield a different, more satisfying result. The process is one of encouragement and guidance.
Re-reading and rethinking confirmed my belief that those who are in the arts, those who create, do so for very personal, if not private—and very different—reasons. Some are exploring relationships. Some are commenting on society. Some are reacting to politics. Some are investigating psychological concepts. Some are expressing inward thoughts and feelings so deep that words are inadequate. Some are trying to find out who they are. Some are making things to sell. Some are using art to relax. Some are creating pieces that they hope will grace museum walls and floors. Some are just experiencing the joy of creation. Some are compelled to create.
This list is practically endless. There are as many reasons for creating art as there are artists. And the reasons are dynamic; they can change and evolve as an artist develops and grows. And hardly ever do they meet someone else’s expectations.
So when you look at a piece of art, try to put aside your own notions of why art is created. You have no way to know what was in the artist’s mind when he/she created the work; you have only your own training and experience. You might try to figure it out based on the work. But to do that honestly, you have to interact with the art as it exists, and take away what it gives you.
Category:Audience, Education, Presentation | Comment (0) | Author: Jay Burton