Finding Art

I’ve run into a sort of conundrum since our exploration began. We’ve talked about the profound influence that art can have on the life of a person, and that it can change us as human beings. My question is, can art have such an impact on an individual as to completely alter their sense of judgement and identity? Like, in a bad way?

I’m talking specifically about certain allegations against various forms of music which blame the artists for violent crimes commited by their fans. I know of several court cases taken up against heavy metal and rap artists in particular which set out to, for lack of a better term, criminalize artistic expression.

Can an artist be held accountable for the emotional response his art triggers in his audience? If violent imagery is the artist’s outlet for harmless creative expression, and someone else uses it as inspiration for a violent crime, is this the artist’s fault?

One particular case comes to mind: in 1990, the band Judas Priest was brought to trial by the families of two deceased young men who claimed the band’s music contained subliminal messages which drove the youths to commit suicide. The band was eventually acquitted, but the media frenzy surrounding the case promoted the idea that heavy metal makes kids want to kill themselves.

I think situations like this reflect nothing but the dysfunctional behavior of the criminals involved. If a person can’t tell the difference between fantasy horror and real-life murder, then they have some unresolved issues they need to take care of.

At the same time, there is no denying the power of art (music especially) in shaping a person’s identity and defining social and cultural boundaries. Though most of us won’t listen to a song about killing someone and then go out and commit homocide, there might be some crazy people who will. The art we experience does influence our lives to a certain degree.

So, in the end, I guess my question is this: If an artist is concerned with the real world impact of his work and the influence he exerts over other people, does he have a responsibility to his audience? Should he sacrifice his vision in the form of personal censorship, or disregard the possible repercussions of his art?

More on “the social impact of music violence”: http://www.aap.org/advocacy/washing/t1106.htm

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Can a sport be art? If so, which sports are art? Is a talented athlete more of an artist than a mediocre one?

As a soccer fan, I think that much of what happens on the pitch is clearly sport. This for instance is a classy, artistic goal. Is it art, though, when the best player in the world falls over?

In what capacity is sport art?

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Antonio Gaudi is a famous Spanish architect, born in 1852 he is known for his unique style which deviated from the typical Gothic architecture of the time period.  Above is a picture of La Casa Milà, which just looks really cool, as if the building came out of a hallucination.   La Sagrada Família (below) is considered his masterpiece, but it has never been completed.  Architects are trying to complete the church, but it is obvious where the additions to the original design have been made because his style is so difficult to copy.

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  Who decides what art and literature are?

  How do art and literature uncover and illuminate essential truths of human experience?

 How do art and literature compel us back into our own experience?

  Do art and literature have the power to change us?

These are the question we began the year with, and they floated above our heads most of the time, never probably getting the attention they deserve. I know that I get so involved in the reading and our discussions of it that widening our considerations to include whether or not this poem or that novel is art seemed unnecessary. Perhaps because we answer the question about art’s power and influence intuitively we forget to talk about it. Maybe. Or we just forget to talk about it in the flurry of everything else we have to do. So here’s our chance.

Here are the rules. There are no rules other than curiosity and reflection. I, for example, had never considered that a made up face might be considered art. I am not sure I consider velvet painting art, but some do. What about cooking, landscaping, boatbuilding, or flower arranging? If you think it’s art, show it and explain it, and we will see where we go.
 

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