Kristen's Written Ramblings: My Online Journal
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
Is It Art or Not?
The more I watch documentaries about art and artists, the more I have become annoyed with critics. Any person who earns a living as an art critic is a sore on the lip of society.
Art is an expression of a person's views of life. It is an outward presentation of inner thoughts. A carefree child creates carefree finger-paintings. A perfectionist tries to create art that perfectly resembles what he sees or hears or feels. An emotional person creates art that displays her emotion, not necessarily the subject. An opinionated activist creates art that makes a statement. Whether they went to art school or only just learned to pick up a crayon, their works are artistic, and the quality of their works is always superb because it reflects what they wanted to express at the time that they created it. How can such excellence be criticized?
If you're going to criticize art, then you might as well criticize the way the person looks, the tonal quality of their voice, and the experiences they've endured. Criticizing art is the equivalent of saying, "I think your nose is too big, and you are flawed for that." "I think your voice is too scratchy, and you should be ashamed of yourself for it." "I think the abuse you suffered makes you a nobody who is trying to con everyone into thinking that you are a somebody." It's disturbing to see such behavior on the playground, but seeing it among adults is sickening.
Listening to an art critic is just as disgusting because essentially the critic is saying, "You're expression of yourself is wrong, so you as a being is wrong and don't deserve recognition or praise." Anyone respected as an art critic will get no respect from me. As far as I'm concerned, the art critic is a over-glorified bully.
If you like it, say "I like it!" If you don't, say "It's not my taste." But don't be so arrogant that you feel that you can say that something is or is not art, that a person is or is not a person, or the a life is or is not a life. You have no right to make such judgments.
Art is an expression of a person's views of life. It is an outward presentation of inner thoughts. A carefree child creates carefree finger-paintings. A perfectionist tries to create art that perfectly resembles what he sees or hears or feels. An emotional person creates art that displays her emotion, not necessarily the subject. An opinionated activist creates art that makes a statement. Whether they went to art school or only just learned to pick up a crayon, their works are artistic, and the quality of their works is always superb because it reflects what they wanted to express at the time that they created it. How can such excellence be criticized?
If you're going to criticize art, then you might as well criticize the way the person looks, the tonal quality of their voice, and the experiences they've endured. Criticizing art is the equivalent of saying, "I think your nose is too big, and you are flawed for that." "I think your voice is too scratchy, and you should be ashamed of yourself for it." "I think the abuse you suffered makes you a nobody who is trying to con everyone into thinking that you are a somebody." It's disturbing to see such behavior on the playground, but seeing it among adults is sickening.
Listening to an art critic is just as disgusting because essentially the critic is saying, "You're expression of yourself is wrong, so you as a being is wrong and don't deserve recognition or praise." Anyone respected as an art critic will get no respect from me. As far as I'm concerned, the art critic is a over-glorified bully.
If you like it, say "I like it!" If you don't, say "It's not my taste." But don't be so arrogant that you feel that you can say that something is or is not art, that a person is or is not a person, or the a life is or is not a life. You have no right to make such judgments.
Labels: Things that Annoy Me
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Hmmmnnnn, that makes sense, unless one is a "master" and the "guru" like a a super being then what gives an art critic the right to critique.
OK, so I could see the benefit of criticism if, let's say, I'm an art student, and I ask somebody whose art I admire to teach me to produce art like they do. But other than that, I continue to insist that art critics are annoying.
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