Being a great art aficionado (it’s a great misconception which I often believe), I have always been generous in my appreciation towards the creative aspects of life which is immensely necessary to retain one’s sanity in today’s dilapidated life. <br><br>
Recollecting my lone visit to an art school, one thing that irks me is the fact that even though I have always loved artwork, I often experience a great difficulty in deciphering art (one of my unabashed confessions!). Whenever I come across a great work of art, one question that time and again comes to my mind is what is ‘real’ art? Let me humbly make it clear at the very outset that I am no ‘great’ logician or an academician who, out of his scholastic gusto, leaves no occasion to grab hold of an unassuming audience to pour out his literati gibberish of the highest order! (Phew…that was indeed quite a ‘humble’ acknowledgment!) <br><br>
I firmly believe that I am a remarkably antiquated person for whom even jagged lines and dumb concentric circles qualify as high art! (Well, in my case, even vintage movie posters are high art as much as my grandpa’s classic vinyl record of ‘Pakeezah.’) <br><br>
A beautiful work of art often evokes copious extol. Yet, what is ‘art’ and how does a creative endeavour become ‘art’ is the crux of the whole debate - does one, all of a sudden, christen something as art or is art something that is mutually decided by the highbrow of a society? <br><br>
My real trouble is, if Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa is as grand as Vincent Van Gogh’s Shoes, then what exactly is the criterion to adjudge great art? Well, for the sake of brevity, I promise I won’t indulge in gobbledygook but something far greater than that! <br><br>
Talking about art, especially paintings, for Plato, art was an imitation of nature, a mere version of actuality which tries to capture nature in its original form. In that case, whatever art we appreciate, it is a hackneyed version that has nothing original about it! Well, I firmly believe that there are not many takers for this dry logic as it is a sheer hypothesis! <br><br>
Some might even say that the function of art is to offer sheer pleasure. Well, it’s a cliché, as art has a deeper function to perform in a civil society. Basically, understanding and appreciating art are two diametrically opposite concepts that vary from person to person. <br><br>
For instance, the kind of perspective a first timer (much like me!) at an art gallery carries differs from that of a seasoned art critic. In fact, it’s true as the latter benefits from highly developed critical faculties that help him/her in decoding the concealed meanings of art which are oblivious to a simple mind! <br><br>
For a psychiatrist, art is the materializing of the unfulfilled – a certain wish fulfillment which the artist seeks to gain from his creative venture whereas for a <i> jhola slinging, red loving, America bashing and Che eulogizing </i> Marxist comrade (what a wonderful panegyric for my Marxist brothers!), art is a liberating experience which calls for a revolutionary change, often portraying the latent undercurrents of an ailing society. In case of the comfortably rich, collecting artwork becomes a matter of power and social stature, somewhat akin to asinine fetish! Well, if each individual has its own reason to appreciate art, how can one then find a common ground to interpret art? <br><br>
Struck in quagmire of catch-22 situation, one has the discretion of believing in the final version of the artist – the creator of his idée fixe. In this way, one amicably resolves the differences and comes upon a healthy conclusion thereby understanding the real meaning of art - the very idea that went into its making. <br><br>
Having said that, we are not done with it as one thing is for sure, the term art is an extremely complicated term and cannot be deciphered in a word or two. In case the artist’s version is taken as the gospel truth, what in case if the same version is all over the place? What if the mighty artist is a Coleridge aficionado and loves to work when he/she is not sober! What in case if the art you recently purchased turns out to be a fake! (Don’t tell me you are happy with phony interpretations!) <br><br>
In such an instance, it becomes extremely difficult to describe art as it a quality that is often bestowed upon a creative piece of work. So, the next time you plan to visit an art gallery and find yourself groping for meaning amidst great art, always remember that grand art might be something which even the artist may be vary of! In case you are unable to interpret it (almost certainly as today’s artwork is as bewildering as its creator!), you still have the comfort of enjoying great art in the company of ostentatious men (and some equally flamboyant pretty women too)! With a glass of champagne, enjoy the company of scruffy bearded (in case of women, beard can be effortlessly swapped with bizarre hairdos) outlandish artists and equally wacky critics in a quest of high art - a cultural elitism (or should I say snobbery) of the highest order!