032877's blog

I think that art is just as powerful as the other Areas of Knowledge. It may not be actual words printed in a textbook, but it is definitely just as effective as a tool of knowledge. By looking at the arts, it will trigger our sense perception. For example the Tedx video that was shown in class, the presenter had dancers as another element to his presentation. Through that, the audience was able to ‘see’ what he was talking about. Instead of just listening to what he’s saying, the audience no longer has to imagine the concepts and ideas he was trying to bring to life. To me, I learn better with visuals; I think that it makes things easier for me to understand. Sometimes, it’s really hard to just force myself into imagining certain things. As much as people doubt the Arts, the Arts have a way of accessing another part of our brain where our thoughts and words come together, which leads us to a new dimension of learning.

In peoples’ eyes, the wax figures in a museum such as the Madame Tussauds are considered as art. They feel that since the process of making a wax figure require a lot of time and effort, that it is considered as art. On the other hand, people feel that replicas are not considered art as they are just copies of what is already done. I think that people do not really consider replicas as art due to the fact that they think that it is not ‘authentic’.

Art is intentional; the artist have created it to express their own views and thoughts. For example, the artist Jason Pollock uses the technique known as drip painting. The pieces consist of splatters of paint in different colours. People may not consider it as art due to the fact that they can’t find a certain meaning, but since there are so many different elements of design in art, the colours he have chosen to use can be part of his message. Pollock’s drip paintings are his way of getting lost in contact with his current state. He says: “When I am in my painting, I’m not aware of what I’m doing…I try to let it come through. It is only when I lose contact with the painting that the result is a mess. Otherwise there is pure harmony, an easy give and take, and the painting comes out well.”

I think that even though some artists’ art may be categorized as meaningless, it still is art. The artist have created the piece with the intent to express themselves. It can be difficult for the viewer to completely figure out the message the artist may be trying to convey, but in the end, what they have created is still part of their message.

Art has been created for artists to express themselves. Anyone who have had the courage to express their own opinions should not be held against them. Which is why I feel that artists do not have any responsibilities when they create a piece of art. Their art could have been made to provoke thoughts in us, to lead us to feel certain ways. Us as viewers can choose to accept the artist’s intent or ignore it. Feelings can be triggered as a result of looking at artworks, but I think that critical thought is what makes us choose our own decisions.

I came upon an article online regarding a graffiti artist named Kidult, who tags over designer stores. People may call it vandalism and others may view it as a real type of art. After seeing photographs of his artworks, I felt a sense of excitement and want to try it out myself. Seeing something so adventurous and unusual done triggered a sense of urge that I wanted to do the same thing. However, knowing that I can get arrested for doing so stops me from creating the same type of art that Kidult have created.

Above: Kidult’s tag on a Hermès store in Paris.

A video interview with the artist himself.

It is hard to completely define what art is as many people have a different view on what is considered art. To me, art is an artist’s expression of their ideas and thoughts; we create it to express ourselves. This is reflected by the artistic choices the artist makes. This includes the colours, the media and their subject in the piece. For example, if we look at colours, red can stand for passion or a sense of hatred. By looking and analyzing at these artistic choices, we can get an insight into the artist’s thoughts. Although an artwork can be interpreted in many different ways, I believe that the true meaning of a piece is really dependent on the artist.

It is hard to fully understand history as they are dependent on records, stories, photographs…etc. Since history is based on these records, it can be influenced by perspective. Firstly, if we are looking at stories told by people, there can be biases to their perspective as everyones’ upbringing, culture and thoughts vary. It is crucial to fully understand one and to collect numerous stories in order to give a well-rounded and unbiased point of view. It is difficult to track down people who were present back when an event happened as they might not be alive anymore. Due to that, they are many filters regarding history. Photographs can give us a good look into the past.