When we talk of the Arts, we can generally agree that they are comprised of the Visual Arts, Applied Arts, and Performing Arts.
The first category spans a wide variety, of which, the most prominent are Literature, Painting, Sculpture, and Photography. The second category covers Applied Arts which are essentially Visual Arts that have a more practical element, such as Architecture, Fashion, and Jewellery Design, whilst the third embraces the Arts of movement such as Dance, Theatre, Film, and Music. source
Generically, we can refer to all the aforementioned as emanating from 'artists', as an artist is "a person who creates art (such as painting, sculpture, music, or writing) using conscious skill and creative imagination" or "a person skilled in any of the arts". source
All of these art forms have one key element in common: they all involve an original creator or artist who births an idea; a creative thought incepted from deep within their own imagination, derived of independent thought and emotion, that in itself tells a story either directly or indirectly through the artform, and gives us an insight into the way in which the artist views and experiences the world around them.
Given that an artist's creation may have commercial value, the artist may seek to protect their ownership rights in their art, as the creative arena is fraught with malice. Whenever money is involved, we struggle to temper malicious activity which seeks to undermine the rights of others through the ongoing assault of plagiarism and copycatting, and it becomes a race to the finish line to evidence these rights in copyright, trademark, and design law. And so the artist can choose to control who has rights to his / her material, can choose to protect those rights and the integrity of their original creative piece. What the artist cannot do is to retain control over the lines of interpretation that flow from the art itself. As a creator, you may own your art; but your readers, your audience, will always own its interpretation.
And "(such) is the joy of art; once it has left the hands of its creator it (falls) into the domain of its audience for appreciation." source
The artist may use any combination of language and movement to appeal to and connect with their audience. They endeavour to share something personal of themselves with those who observe, consume, and appreciate their work and therefore try to forge emotional connections at different levels. This can be quite simple and direct or involve layered thoughts and ideas, and even subliminal messaging to drive home their intended meaning. It won't surprise you therefore that the many layers that are often applied in the creation of the artwork often result in just as many, if not more, corresponding layers of interpretation.
As human consumers, each and every one of us come to the arts with our own complex myriad of life experiences. Our hearts and minds are conditioned by what came before the mindfulness of the present moment. Our synapses and neural pathways have developed bespoke patterns and created a unique metaphorical highway of interconnected exchanges and processes within our brains. As individuals, we are each wired emotionally and intellectually to identify and connect with that which is familiar to us personally and it is, therefore, no wonder that we find such a wide array of interpretative responses to the meanings behind songs, poems, and stories. Quite simply, we all connect the dots slightly differently.
As an audience, we are therefore not hive-minded and there is no reason to coalesce. We may all belong to a tribe, a hive of humanity, but when it comes to art, we are not a superorganism, intent on reaching agreement, in fact, quite the opposite; we are often incapable of seeing things as one. But this is definitely not due to the frailty of the human mind being unable to achieve consensus of opinion. Quite the contrary, because the Arts, as a function of right brain activity, constantly challenges our brains to be open to its seemingly infinite capacity for interpretation and demands that our creative receptors in our own imaginations combine with our emotional experiential history to elicit an interpretation that has meaning for us alone. It remains a matter of personal discernment.
In fact, we take our ownership of the interpretation so seriously that when we ask the author for their intention, we are often left disappointed. We may hear, "oh it was nothing, just some ramblings" and we are disheartened that the deeper meaning we personally elicited or ascribed to the text was never intended in the first place. This has happened to me on occasion, particularly with respect to poetry. In one moment I feel elated to have found great depth in a poem only to be informed in the next by its respective author that they had not intended that meaning at all and that in fact, their poem was about a completely different subject matter altogether, and often a lot less complex than I had previously thought. Of course, I could see what they were referring to once their cards were on the table, but somehow I had gained something quite different from the experience.
When we discover that our interpretation varies vastly from the original intention or that the meanings were layered and complex when we thought the message was simple, or vice versa, what does that mean for the reader's personal enjoyment and appreciation, and does the artist have any right to feel aggrieved that their message was lost in translation?
The truth of the matter is that once the art has left its creator; once it is borne and released into the world, it takes on a life of its own, just like a baby grows distinct from its parent, from the moment the umbilical cord is cut. The art form, therefore, separates from its source of creativity. It takes on its own identity, and floats away, a dandelion, subject to the breezes of creative thought and interpretation, and so there exists vindication for our subjective experiences and we as the recipients should hold onto the emotional gains we have made. It should be enough for the artist that his / her art has been set free for the enjoyment of others.
There is therefore no need for discord between artist and audience, or between one consumer of the Arts and another. Each artist, through their chosen form, tells a story to their audience, and how that communication is experienced and understood by each recipient, depends on the unique connections made between them and the creation. Our responses as consumers of art are therefore necessarily multifarious.
Who is to say that one person's interpretation is more accurate or correct than the next? Each and every opinion, interpretation, or discourse on the subject matter at hand has an element of validity to it that is substantiated and backed by our own individual experience of the world around us. If we are critical in our deconstruction of the creative work at hand, it is not out of an attempt to be malicious, rather it is out of an attempt to seek greater understanding and appreciation of what lies before us.
The work of film brings a special kind of magic and I believe that a discussion on the complexity and depth of film themes is best illustrated by a review of The Matrix Trilogy by the Wachowskis.
On the face of it, the Matrix is already a fantastic sci-fi adventure, ablaze with stunning special effects, about a hacker who must dig deep inside his own character to uncover the truth about his state of existence, and who later joins the rebellion to lead them in the rise up against the machines and the artificial intelligence that controls mankind.
At a deeper level, there is the analogy of government control, manipulation, and exploitation using AI metaphors, computer technology, programs, and viruses.
Then there are the religious connotations which can be derived from the name of the MC, Neo, being an anagram of "one" as in "The one". He is also referred to as the saviour of humanity, and one who was prophesied to return to save the human race.
Even deeper beneath the surface lies a myriad of transgender references and the oppression of gender rights in society. To this end, the character of 'Switch' was a man in the real world and a woman in the matrix. The Wachowskis themselves have said that transgenderism and the desire for transformation in a closeted world was the key underlying theme of the film, something I am sure many of its widespread audience over the years failed to appreciate. source
And so we learn something more intrinsic about the author and their own mind and creative process when we dig deeper and ask more questions, but this doesn't invalidate the many existing interpretations of the film's main themes and messages. The multi-layered approach used by the Wachowskis is designed to appeal to a wide audience, and we will all get something different from it, What counts in the end is that we each received what we personally needed from the creative experience, whether we chose the blue pill or the red.
Musical scores /interludes and the lyrics that accompany them can trigger nostalgia; memories from our distant past which enable us to reminisce in the present and reconnect to a time in our past of intense emotional impact. It provides an invisible bridge back to key meaningful events in our lives heavily laced with emotional connection, enabling us to revive and relive the feelings we had when we first experienced the events in question, and hence a sense of familiarity and comfort is found in revisiting the experience. There is both the experience of our own existing mood being enhanced by exposure to the music/lyrics around us as well as the music and lyrics instilling within us a certain mood. Cause and effect wrapped in one in a never-ending cycle of appreciation. Our connection to both is often not directly related to the artist's original intention and can sit completely separate and outside of the existence of any explanation of the art in question. This is because when we connect with an artist and with their work, what we glean, what we salvage for ourselves comes from a place deep inside of us, just as the original creation came from a place seated deep within the heart and mind of the artist.
And so ultimately what matters is how this affinity with the Arts, enables us individually to grow, to learn, to find joy, and variously to heal. When we truly immerse ourselves within the covers of a good book, become absorbed in a scene sandwiched between two acts in a play, or find ourselves mesmerised by the rhythmical lilt of an orchestral crescendo, it can feel as if the essence of the art form, and the very heart of its 'story' reaches out through its pages and performance, enveloping us in a virtual hug that brings with it an emotional connection too solid to ignore. Art has a unique ability to connect, to evoke a deep emotional response, to challenge our views about life, and the world and everything in it, and therein lies its true value to humanity.
Resources:
1 - Why are we moved by music? - PsychologyToday.com
2 - How we evoke emotion with music - The Daily Telegraph
3 - Lead Gif credit: Tenor
4 - Samsmith1971
6 - Artist - Merriam Webster Dictionary
7 - Photo by Sergey (Merlin L.) Katyshkin from Pexels
Sergey Katyshkin
8 - Photo credit: Geralt on Pixabay
9 - Photo credit Master Tux on Pixabay
10 - Photo credit Geralt on Pixabay
11 - Photo credit Marcel Kessler on Pixabay
12 - Photo credit: Comfreak on Pixabay
13 - Photo by Andrea Piacquadio from Pexels
Andrea Piacquadio
14 - Photo credit: Xuanduongvan87
15 - Photo credit: Pixel2012 on Pixabay
ll n'ya pas de mensonge ici. That's a French sentence I learned yesterday. It means there's no lie here. Yes! There's no lie in what you have said. We relate and connect differently to art.
There's no homogeneity on how we appreciate an artist's creation. This disparity isn't just based on our frailty, but on our individual experience.
There are songs that reminds me of my School days, others reminds me of a place, some of a person. Such can never be applicable to everyone. It's indeed different strokes for different folks.
I love the coherence and the flow of thoughts from the very beginning to the end.
I'm glad that I stumbled on this.
@dreemport directed me here.
And I !LUV your comment @mmykel. Exactly this💗thank you for taking the time to read it and I am happy that you found some value in it for yourself🙏
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Need to boost newer post buddy.
ok thanks for that. Only been using the boost function for a couple of weeks. So does it not work after a certain time then? I kinda thought I could boost any post that I wanted to boost, but I must have misunderstood lol. Oh well, live and learn ;-)
Don't worry, you'll get refunded 🤘 cheers
😊👍I'll take care to boost newer ones from now on
And this post is BEAUTIFUL ART
Amazing dedication and work.
Congratulations!
Aw thank you, that means a lot to me. I put a lot of heart into it🙂
For sure
You can feel it. All the work and dedication, it takes a lot of strength and will and to come out perfect it is necessary to have done it with love
You are way too kind @hranhuk 🙏 but thank you
What a wonderful and thorough piece @samsmith1971! One aspect of art that interests me is the role it played in ancient cultures. Visual art was closely related to the metaphysical world views of these prehistoric people. Their art work not only reflected these mystical views but was an integral part of their religious practice. It wasn't until later that we began to divide art, spirituality, and science into separate spheres. I believe that the blockchain will bring all them back together into a new and fantastic configuration. A new form of art that is more encompassing of the human experience.
Thank you @litguru . yes that's an interesting perspective! I think we are already seeing a renaissance in digital art when it comes to the use of Deep Dream Generator and similar. I would love to see a coming together again especially with the new perspectives that are likely to be on offer. I wonder what it would look like? Do you have any thoughts on what form it is likely to take?
To me, it looks like it will go in many different directions. VR, AR, MR, and so forth are likely going to play a role. In combination with AI, blockchain, and neural technologies, these new forms of media will make it easy to combine disparate fields into a new form of "art", if we could call it that. 3D video games are a rudimentary example. They offer an immersive combination of visual, auditory, and even tactile narrative experiences. You become an active participant in creating the art. Once virtual 3D technologies have matured, we'll see even more thrilling integrations in which the boundary between us and art will no longer exist. We'll become beings of art. How's that for a hopeful future? 😸
yes!!!💗💯🙌 I'm super excited. I feel like I need multiple parallel lives to enable me to enjoy all of this to the full😂💗
Absolutely, there aren't enough hours in the day to experience it all. :)
!PIZZA
I am of the opinion that it is the creator's duty to create and that of the consumer to enjoy. Also, I understand that opinions about a creative piece or endeavour differ and rather than get caught up in the debate of whose interpretation is superior, I would rather enjoy it. Well, of course, it isn't that easy because most times we form a deeper connection with a creative endeavour, following it religiously and becoming little fanatics of the art. This is where mindfulness comes into play. The goal is to enjoy the art.
That it is @nonsowrites.pob💗💯 Connection, mindfulness, enjoyment - these are the tickboxes to art appreciation. !LUV your comment, thank you for stopping by and taking the time to engage🙏
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This was a very insightful post. Also long, took most of my train journey.
Thanks for sharing. !wine !LUV
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insightful🙏 long😂thank you @awah, glad I gave you something to do on the train lol
Such an interesting read and one that makes a person think
I like ve seeing cities that embrace art of all types so that people can embrace it in daily life with fountains statues murals and street musicians
I found my way here via #dreemport
Thank you for taking the time to stop by my friend. Your comments are always appreciated. i would have loved to have written more expansively on all of the artforms in question but I fear I would have ended up with either an interesting book or a long winded diatribe😂I believe that the more mindful we all are in our daily traversings of this wonderful world of ours, the more our eyes will be opened to the many forms of exceptional and diverse artworks around us everyday. There is so much to appreciate if we just open our eyes.
You are so right so many are on such a rush to get from A to B they forget to see all the beauty around them
Wow!! What a roller coaster ride @samsmith1971.
The problem is that the art is often sold and then media conglomerates gain the rights for commercial purposes. This can get pretty scary like Beatles songs used to sell running shoes. Art has always been a question to me... Where does the art begin? When does it become art? Is it art just because someone pays money for it? Is there really nothing new under the sun and all art is just a copy of what is already here? In that case does anyone really own anything?
My post could have grown legs in so many different directions😂I had many of the questions that you have raised yourself. I think the "art" lies in what is borne out of creativity and any appreciation thereof, regardless of whether any money was spent in the process, although art's value is too often quantified in terms of $$$. Even those who don't own the commercial rights or right to possess the art in question, still find value in the artwork itself, through each of our experiences of it. I guess each person's art at the end of the day is simply their own response through creative expression to the world around them. We are all human beings and have a shared history to a certain extent, but we have unique elements that make our art truly ours alone.
This is simply amazing, you are so right
" there is no need for discord between the artist work and the audience, as every form of interpretations are all valid"
all the best in the WOTW S3 round challenge
Absolutely, I've been mulling over this piece for a while. I found it strange that I was finding myself fundamentally missing the point on a number of recent poetic posts, whilst nailing the artist's obscure thoughts and views on others, and so I wanted to write about the way in which art is received in the creative sphere and how that does not detract from the original intention and feeling behind it. That we all relate to the art from our own position of relative strength or weakness at the time and we elicit the meaning from it that we need to find at the time. Our brains simply find the patterns that our emotions and memories can relate to and connect the dots for us. There is no right or wrong answer as we all own our personal interpretations. thank you for stopping by @funshee, your engagement is always welcomed 💗
Thank you very much, the points you raise and your headline I see similarly.
Since agreement alone is a bit boring, I would like to add the following, to which I see a contradiction, the passage about the Wachowskis.
I don't think the audience was lacking in valuing the overlapping gender roles. As you say in your text, interpretation is always also the performance of the viewer of art. One can say: "It is not the sender of a message that determines the content, it is the receiver."
The indeterminacy in a work of art is exactly what I think art is. It is not fixed but multidimensional. On the other hand, I understand the gender debate of the present as the opposite of art. It is as if one wants to train the perceivers of communication to accept something that, by its nature, is not fully taken on by the individual. Art does not say "you are either for or against", it speaks to me indirectly, not directly.
Genderism is therefore not an expression of art for me, if one speaks of it as of one-sided truth, the permissiveness of the chosen outward appearance and inner conviction threatens to become unfreedom, as if one commands: "Be tolerant!" In the same way, one could demand "Be spontaneous!", which would immediately nip all spontaneity in the bud.
I therefore see genderism more as a kind of trendy behavioural order.
Whereas I wish that it is not a matter of explicitly mentioning something, but rather of implicitly understanding something and not forcing to transfer this understanding of the individual to everyone in the same way. Whoever enters a room as a transsexual and nobody cares, that I would call "casual".
Which I see as true tolerance. But when a transgender enters a room, overly aware of the self, in anticipation of either being judged as "how cool!" or "how ugly!" and the people in the room jump right on it (openly or inwardly), it's not tolerance, it's trend, from my point of view.
But where the whole thing is not an issue at all, not particularly considered, not particularly discussed, because the tolerance is present in the room from the outset, that "everyone can be whoever they want", it becomes clear to me that we can allow ourselves to play roles, not to take ourselves too seriously. By not taking myself too seriously, I allow myself free space and thereby experience seriousness.
Thank you for taking the time to stop in, read my article and post such a meaningful engaging comment. To me, transgenderism is not a choice. It is an innate part of the biological and emotional construct of everyone who identifies as transgender. And therefore the only choice lies in whether to have the courage or not to express oneself as being transgender; to come out of the closet so to speak and feel free and less self-conscious in a world that has variously supported or suppressed such expression, often with relentless and disgraceful opposition. I agree that we can only hope and pray for a world in which any person of any age, gender disposition, racial or cultural background can enter a room and hold themselves equal and proud amongst all; a world in which difference is valued, not maligned. The Wachowskis' art lies not in being transgender themselves nor alone in using transgenderism as a theme, it lies in the creative telling of the story as a transgender allegory, using the artistic medium of film. I did not mean that the audience was aware of the allegory and failed to give it value; I meant that they missed the allegory altogether and that this example of the Matrix and its multi-layered, multi-faceted themes and the way in which it was creatively brought together, highlights just how an artist can have one or many intended meanings behind the creation of their art, but the audience will still see and appreciate the art from their own individual perspectives.
Hello and thank you to further communicate on the matter.
I would like to refer to your statement that the audience missed the allegory altogether. How can you tell what an audience has overlooked? By the fact that a part of such a well-known work of art is less discussed, i.e. thematised in the media (or among friends)?
By putting emphasis on one thing while something else seemed to be drowned out?
But couldn't one also say that those aspects, here the transsexual, by not emphasising it, could be interpreted as a kind of matter of course, simply a completely normal interweaving into an action that is given normality precisely by not thematising it any further?
I find Matrix a good example of experiencing this self-evidence of gender, but without particularly harping on it.
If you put the focus on something, dramatise it or stylise it, it creates goodwill on one side, but great resistance on the other, don't you think? What you called relentless and with disgraceful opposition.
It always annoyed me when I was asked directly about my sexual orientation when I was in the States, for example. I felt that this was not only an unnecessary but also a rather impertinent question, which, when people are interested in each other, answers itself in the course of getting to know each other. This way, however, I felt like a commodity that could be considered attractive or unattractive by reading off a label, without taking any further interest in the person, i.e. without spending much time on different facets of existence and not only on the question of gender.
My comment also alluded to this over-correctness that seems to be all the rage now, just not to say something wrong and to want to eliminate swear words, for example. Although I practice tolerance, I may completely dislike someone who happens to be transsexual, which need have nothing whatsoever to do with it. Nevertheless, in the atmosphere of preached tolerance, it provides the ammunition for perceiving each other as intolerant or even racist (and other nonsense). To put it bluntly: transgenders can be just as idiots or smart as anyone else.
I think, I am opposing to the "mega movements/me too's" and instead plead for a one-on-one encounter, each and every time to welcome the individual effort to get to know one another.
I agree that when we see each other as humans first, this will help to worship differences more instead of less. I was really glad to read this words from you: "a world in which difference is valued, not maligned".
I completely hear you, my friend. I think maybe I am being misunderstood ;-) I am not saying that every person who watched the film missed the allegory. I am not talking in absolutes by any means. I am saying that in the breadth of material discussion between individuals that I have personally been privy to, it has not been the key stand out theme or artistic feature that they have gleaned from the film, despite the fact that the writers themselves hold it as central to the film's creative heart. It was just an example of how an artist's main intent may not be what is perceived by their audience. I think perhaps you are reading too much into my commentary, but then that was your prerogative as a consumer of content and you are simply illustrating my point, that as an artist/writer/creator myself, I cannot determine how you interpret my piece. I can only inform you now as to my own intent. Your interpretation of what I have said does not in any way change my intent and meaning behind what I said. Thank you for your engagement. I have found it most intriguing and intellectual. As you say, commentary that challenges or disagrees can be some of the most worthy of commentary in discussions of any kind and I thank you for this. I do think that we are on the same page on a number of things, just looking at it from different perspectives.
Correct, from your text I felt inspired to expand into thoughts which you have not intended but that's the beauty of it :)
I myself try to welcome disagreement or challenges very much. They give me the spice. It's, if you will, also a selfish attitude, for I think it gives me the chance to mature and I know I need other humans for my maturation, so I "use" them. LOL. I call it a personal success when I am able to overcome the displeasure of disagreement and find a way to reframe it into something positive and useful for me.
So, I thank you, too.
🙏 !LUV
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P.S. I participated in the contest as well and would like you to come over and provide me with some feedback on my text.
Fantastic my friend. I will be doing a final round-up of the WOTW articles this weekend. Up to a few days ago I had read most of them and commented on a lot of them already. I will pull yours up now on my screen and it will be the first thing that I read later. I am looking forward to it. For now, I need to spend some time with my children while it is still light :-)
I like what you said about the artist setting free the creation to be whatever the one consuming it sees ♥️ That has made me rethink how to respond to some comments in my stories, where people get a simpler or deeper meaning than intended.
!PIZZA !ALIVE !LUV
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!LUV love love. that's awesome @wrestlingdesires. Isn't it wonderful when we get these little penny drops off engagement?💗
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Definitely :) I !LUV them!!!
!PIZZA !ALIVE
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This is definitely a Winner. I loved how cool you used Matrix reference, Well done dear. Good luck and keep it up 😊👍. !LUV
I'm really pleased that you got something relevant from this piece @vikbuddy🙏and thank you for your kind words. As I said, we all derive unique value from our own reflections on the arts. For you, this is a "winner" and I am incredibly grateful when my articles or creative pieces produce that kind of response in people. It means that my writing has made an important connection with someone. Others may take a different view but that is the beauty of art, right?😜💗I felt the Matrix was just such a superb example to use that I couldn't ignore it. I could write an entire paper on the Trans allegory, the political metaphors, and the religious connotations. i love the film and everything that to has to say. The Wachowskis are an incredibly talented writing and production duo😍
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@scholaris, my entry for S3 Challenge round of WOTW :-)
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