Sunday, August 8, 2010

Neat artist that uses X-ray...

Check this out, really neat approach to the view below the surface.

http://www.nickveasey.com/

Sunday, August 1, 2010

Make Work: first installment ' Why does Art matter?'

August 2010
'Why does Art matter?'

Art. Art. It's a funny word when you think of it. You have Michelangelo's work considered 'art', then you have a 'arts and crafts' store. You had the 'arts and crafts' movement. Art is unexplainable to me. Ask anyone what art is, I always get the question back, 'what is art?' I have heard it dubbed 'truth and beauty', if it can be dumbed down to that.

But the question that I will attempt to answer (at least from my point of view) is 'why does art matter?' Well, why does it? Do we really need it? Is it essential? On one level, no. We need three basic things; food, clothing and shelter (all three of those are art forms too though). But I believe that this question goes a little deeper than this. What chord does it strike in all of us? How deep do we let that go? Where do we go to expose ourself to beauty.

Art matters to me because I need it. I need the offensive art to reset my thinking. I need the easy, feel good art to feed my soul and heart. I even need the bad art to remind me that there is still good art out there. I need art that is safe and unsafe. I need art that is nice and mean, I need art that has a story. I need art that has a person behind it. It gets me into my community, shows me my prejudices and how I too often judge people on who they are not. I need art, because it reminds me that it is for everyone, free to all.

At some point or another, life is hard. Hard for everyone. The tough times in life come to people and those times are not partial to race, gender, socioeconomic bracket, geographic placement or religion. There really is no such thing as constant comfort, even though we try. I truly believe that art can serve as the oasis in our times when things are tough. We look for beauty when things are ugly in life. Some can find that in a painting, music, dance, possibly even in their woodwork (shameless plug). Art is there to lift our thoughts, our spirits. It serves a purpose that is necessary. I need art, even when I may not want it.

So, to end this post about 'why does art matter?', I would like to add that even if art is not an important aspect to your life, it is still needed. Everyone needs beauty, everyone.

Aaron Cabeen