With my little experience so far as an architect, I have come to realize that art does not necessarily have to have a stunning outlook every time. Most of the time it is usually that crack or opening we see on the wall, those sets of pencils with sharp lead, that painting brush whose feathers are uneven, or that thin line that is discontinued from the rest. And yes, those things that some people might call imperfections are the real deal, the beautiful work of art, the original story.
I have seen a lot of people call a drawing a bad drawing or bad art during a presentation, but those words usually make me laugh. Because in some instances some of the top-rated buildings in the world today were once mocked and badly called by the critics. During my days in architectural school, I designed a plan that looked so perfect, but when I got to the studio, the juror said it was not functioning—yes, aesthetically pleasing, but not useful. And even though I have learned that architecture is one of the purest forms of art, yet the art is far away from designing something perfect but rather something honest.
In my country it is not a doubt that most people are attracted to or even love something flashy, stunning, bright, filled with colors and symmetry. From the type of Aso Ofi we wear to the Ankara down to the mud houses, we always want everything to look simple. Our culture speaks volumes that are bigger than that form. I do not know if you have paid attention to children at home drawing on the wall or in their books, or a painter trying to draw a young hawker selling water under the hot sun. That is the reality, even though it might end up having an F9 in an art competition.
As an architect, while trying to come up with a plan for my clients, my sketchpad is always messy and rough because every line I try to make might not align with each other. But at the end of the day, those rough sketches I make are what I end up modifying that come to reality into the living art we all see today.
So, if anyone asks me if there is any such thing as bad art, I will simply say no because every art we see, be it on the wall or building structures, all has a story behind it, except if we do not understand what the story is all about. I only know of unheard art, not bad art. Like one of my mentors usually says, there is no such thing as bad art.
And for me, every art tells different stories of pain, beauty, joy, struggle, and hope, and some arts usually have all those together as one, which is the reality of art because art is not meant to be something smooth. And like I usually tell some of my friends in my line, even the fading lines of every drawing we make are considered good enough if there is a meaning behind it.
Thank you for reading.
Images used are mine
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You’re right, art doesn’t have to be perfect to be meaningful. Sometimes, the rough edges and flaws make it even more real and beautiful. Your words truly reflect the heart of creativity.