On Art

Well, that's it. This is the end, of this blog at least, most likely.  

A semester down and plenty more to go, I'll be completing my English course with this blog post, and in some way it calls for a more focused reflection. As our course blog is titled, "The Arts…" there's some suggestion winking me in the face that I should have learned a thing or two about art. Well, I can't give a definite answer of that, although I think I've gained a stronger grasp on what art is as it appears and functions. 

Our professor opened the blog with a bit about art funding having been threatened in the past, a bill or something requesting a cut in the funds that never passed. It's pretty sound to say that art matters. So to you naysayers, ha! So we go on to the "why." What I've come to know or believe is that art is ultimately expression. For this reason, it makes sense that there are so many forms of art and then genres or styles within forms creating this cross-media variety that we can never really collect in one place. I, fortunately, enjoy and understand (vaguely) most art forms. I like watching people dancer, sing, perform, or to read or observe sculptures, paintings, etc. I can find pieces that appeal to me along the lines of logic, ethic, or emotional value. I think it's great that art takes all of these things on at once.  

I think it's pretty neat, in some cases, how art is telling of culture too. The impressionist movement in painting is still awesome to me, or just about any Renaissance born piece of art (paint, sculpt., etc.). Classical music is also awesome. Fast forward though and take a look at modern art (toilet seats nailed to walls), music (auto-tuned to hell, same petty subject matter, not many engaging pieces; don't get me wrong there are some bright exceptions, but at large, no, music is in a decline), dance (I can only watch someone spin on his/her head for so long), and you get my point. Examples like these really make me wonder what future generations will think of our generation. I mean, we've managed to take the blood sucking monster that made a pact with the devil and turned it into a glitter-skinned regrettable immortal that fears losing his socially-backward girlfriend over the sun, garlic, or a stake through the heart. C'mon, really now? I'm totally okay with vampires being explored outside of horror, but at least keep the myth behind them accurate, otherwise they wouldn't be vampires, now would they? There are just some things I cannot draw sense or appeal from. Remember that toilet seat nailed on a wall? What are you getting out of it? I am personally drawing a blank here.

So, I don't know. I guess I liked art better when people were only acknowledged after they died.it seems the function of art is changing from expression into a money making scandal. Tune out a new beat that can get a teenager's head to bounce and hips to sway for three minutes, toss in something about money, drugs, degrading women – or – breaking up, being heartbroken, etc., and you have a hit that will be no the top spot for a week or so. You instantly make tons of money in sales and can probably retire early. Ask about that same song in a month and people will wonder why you're asking about that "old" thing. I'm trying to find where the artist-ship has gone, where the pride in work has gone off to.  

Oh, another thing before this turns into a full-out rant… What's up with all this abstract stuff? As confident as I am with my imagination; I'm going to doubt yours if you cannot give a complete picture for us. Selective removal of information, be it in a picture or writing, is okay, but I should be able to follow along coherently with a piece or there might be a communication issue. This cryptic expressionism is getting to be a bit much where years from now who will know what you meant!?

So, yeah, hopefully art hasn't gone down the tube entirely. Surely my blog critics are starring me down from behind the screen taunting me to "do better, then." Well maybe I will! Or maybe I won't. Remember I'm just a college student who's built his opinions on his brief existence in the world and has many options before him to explore before he decides to pursue a few. On that note, here's to hoping I can make sense of this art "stuff" in the future.