Here is an interesting article about an experiment that the Washington Post did a while back. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/04/AR2007040401721.html
It is an interesting investigation into the importance of context for our work, the relevance of art to day to day life, and the ability of our culture to appreciate good work.
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I agree that the context is important but sometimes it seems like the only criteria. In our society so little time is spent understanding and appreciating great work. What is appreciated are pop stars,athletes and movie stars; the artists of a depleted culture.
ReplyDeleteWe've read about life of Van Gogh and we realize that even in his brother's gallery he did not sell. But there were other painters who were able to sell work in the context of Theo's gallery.
Priorities are relevant to the mental and physical health of a society.
This video could be laughable if it was not so telling.
January 13, 2009 5:45 PM
I love these two questions: "Do you have time for beauty? Shouldn't you?" The use of the irony of people buying up the porno mags and waiting in the lottery line when they already had something pretty priceless going on right there was great.
ReplyDeleteIt all certainly begs the question of whether the people who pay to see Bell really enjoy him or if they just have heard that he is good and feel a need to agree for the sake of seeming educated or refined.
With all of the negative connotations that the results of this little experiment have on society, the way that the first person to stop and listen described his reaction was rather beautiful. That he walked away but was drawn back to it inexplicably even though it wasn't the type of music that he normally listened to it because it made him feel at peace... Just lovely. Exactly what I want people to feel when I finally get my work to where I want it to be.
I know without a shadow of a doubt, I would stop to listen to this, even if I were running late.
ReplyDeletePortions of our society have become desensitized to valuable forms of expressionism, even when they are confronted with it; such is the case, with Joshua Bell’s Experimental performance.
People keep on feeding into their daily addictions, not stopping for this- a diamond in the rough, a happening, indeed!
People just pass by and some are irritated. I think the article said, some people were Irritated by this event! Ha!! That’s sad.
Truthfully, most people can care less about this. They don’t want any disruptions. A sad commentary on society’s behavior- do I stay or do I leave? It is a quite simple choice. & I know that for the portion that stopped, so many more did not & just breezed right by w/out even giving a damn. I can totally understand it. It’s something that’s woven it’s our society. It’s reality. Nevertheless, this experiment is valuable. It reminds us how valuable self expression is. It is an eye opener into society and ignorance to a great happening- on a single day in a busy hub of a metro city station.
"It was a strange feeling, that people were actually, ah . . ." The word doesn't come easily.
". . . Ignoring me." Bell is laughing. It's at himself.
I found this to be interesting. Also, the comparative analysis of taking Ellsworth Kelly’s art, from its “proper” setting, and into a city cafe, was also powerful. There’s an inherent link btwn art and music. This is truly insightful information. Thank you for the post.
Some of us do not see the god within each other which manifests itself as "valuable forms of expression" (andrew).
ReplyDeleteObviously this is a personal though on my part but i do see that the drive to make any form of art is fueled by the urge to understand god; our desire to express or understand our lives. It is in the undeniably exquisite expressions of such that we relate. But our quick moving, spend no time on any one particular thing, world has pulled a shade over our otherwise sensitive and keen senses to see it.
This makes me think. We are not moved by only variable art forms. I have such beautiful moments, witnessing simple everyday happenings or in the smiles of my loved ones. The beauty i see and contentedness i feel is very real. How then can someone express that very simple thing in art.
the more i think of simple joys, the more i would like to think of them.