The Art of Expression Through Art

Julia Deicicchi

“No artist desires to prove anything. Even things that are true can be proved”- Oscar Wilde

I agree with this statement because when an artist produces their art, they do so for themselves. Art is a form of expression, and by putting it out into the world, the artist is revealing a part of themselves. This aphorism immediately makes me think of Taylor Swift. The media constantly paints her in a negative light, but that doesn’t stop her from releasing albums and going on tour. She has nothing to prove to anyone, she creates music because she loves to write and perform. Writing is an outlet to share her past experiences and emotions. She is most notably known for writing about breakups, but true fans know she also writes about her fun adventures with friends, self-growth, and her mental health struggles. She also likes to write from the point of view of different characters she makes up. All of her music is different and shares memories, experiences and emotions both personal or fictional. To reiterate, she isn’t trying to prove her capabilities or gain validity in her lyrics. She is writing for passion and enjoyment. The amount of support she has for her music allows her the freedom to write whatever she wants to; therefore, I suppose it can be argued that artists with less of her stature might be trying to prove themselves more to gain an audience. However, I think that true artists create for themselves only because in truth, they don’t need to prove anything and that defeats the purpose of art itself. To add on, the phrase “Even things that are true can be proved” is quite an interesting one, and takes some thought to understand. I think it refers to the fact that in general, both fact and lies often need to be proved. While an individual might be stating the truth, sometimes they may need to convince others of the validity of what they are expressing. This concept is a little confusing, but I understand what Wilde is trying to convey with this line. To connect back to art, specifically songwriting, artists like Swift would have to argue to prove their point even if it’s true, which takes away from the beauty of expression through song. Therefore, it can be inferred that artists don’t owe it to anyone, or have the desire to prove themselves. While I can’t attest to all artists, I can suggest that everyone approaches art without the concern or desire to authenticate their expressions. Art should be whatever the artist wants it to be, and the viewer can interpret it however they want. Although art should never be to impress the beholders, because that takes away from the beauty and individuality of art. If artists like Swift worried about what people thought of her, she would stop writing about her heartbreak. Maybe then people would stop ridiculing her with sexist comments and misogynistic hatred. Swift knows that sharing her truth is what makes her so special and makes her art valued by her fans. Expression should always be produced in art without the thoughts of how it will be perceived.