Lexie Milwood
Those who go beneath the surface do so at their own peril
- Art is made to evoke feelings and prompt people to reflect on themselves and their perspective on the world. The artist creates an image to connect with viewers and evoke a sense of emotion in them. When I visited an art museum, I saw a painting of a girl who was scribbled in black, and it made me feel like the girl was lost in her thoughts and struggling to be heard. Then, the further I went into dissecting the image, the worse and worse the image started to be portrayed. I ended up looking for a deeper meaning than what was there and drove myself crazy cause I couldn’t land on a set meaning. Sometimes, when we go looking for a deeper meaning in art when we shouldn’t lose focus of what the artist actually wants us to see, feel, and understand. As viewers, it is sometimes okay to take things at face value and not always assume that there is a deeper meaning in some art. Sometimes the best art is the art that is so blatant and obvious in what it means, conveying the message immediately. So, in all, I do agree with the statement that “Those who go beneath the surface do so at their own peril”, because sometimes we do go looking for what we want things mean instead of taking them as they are.
To reveal art and conceal the artist is arts’ aim
- I agree with the statement about art because it is not always about knowing the artist, because sometimes when you know the artist, it takes away from the art itself and can lead to you judging the art solely based off of who designed it. Being able to see the art for what it is, rather than the artist, allows people to draw their own meaning from the art and allows it to stand out on its own. For example, I was playing a cover of the song “Girl Crush,” which was sung by Harry Styles. I love the original artist and the song, but I am not a huge fan of Harry Styles. When I listened to it, I didn’t know it was him, and I am glad because if I had known it was him, I probably wouldn’t have listened to it and realized how well he sang it and how effectively he evoked feelings into it. Art should not be made with the sole purpose of getting one’s name out into the world and becoming famous. Art is supposed to be about expressing oneself and hoping to help others see and feel your expression. Art is made to be an expression of freedom and emotions, not an object meant to produce fame. Hiding an artist behind the art allows for true fame to emerge, as it is never about who created the art, but rather how they made people feel through their art and how it resonates with diverse audiences around the world.