I have a definition of “art” that I really like. I think I came up with it, but honestly I may have picked it up or parts of it along the way. What is art? Art is the essence of the human spirit put forth in a form you can perceive. Clearly not all that is art or called art has this quality, but I’m interested in art that does and lifting it up for people to see.
I recently attended a gallery walk in Chelsea with one of the young collectors/patrons museum groups I am a member of. Let me begin by saying it was a great event. A really top notch insiders kind of thing. But with all that it was, I couldn’t help considering what it was not. Everything presented was from a very “art world” perspective on what is interesting. The works didn’t seem to have much to say to the viewer. They felt largely projected at the viewer. And, well, with snobbery. One’s genuine response to it all was likely to be “hmm, interesting, okaaaay-I can kind of see that, or snore.”
Was there any internal response among those gathered to any of the work? Seemingly no. Did anyone get excited!? Not. Was that inexplicable fire ignited? Doubtful. I mean, was anyone interested in looking at these works for more than 3 minutes? Did anyone want to explore their reaction to the work? Would he or she even have the vocabulary? Certainly not … the work required a curator from the [museum] to even be in the same room with it. It would seem from the selected works on the tour that today if art is easily appreciated and understood it is not worthy of contemplation or conversation. Alas, accesible art seems out of vogue. So, what we find is a group of young sophisticates sleep walking for 105 mins through Chelsea when art should be making them laugh, cry or shout. It should make them feel good… or bad…at least feel something. Instead I saw stoic expressions–no smiling. We were in an aaaahrt gahllery after all. Inside people were probably saying something like, “what a weird and stupid video. I must be so uncultured. Look, everyone else seems to appreciate it. It’s here after all and the [museum] curator has selected this for the walk so I’ll just put a pensive look on my face and no one will know that I want to scream out, huh!“
Why don’t we see art that brings people higher promoted to the same extent as that which is shocking, pornographic, bloody and cerebral? I say more people are ready to encounter art that doesn’t brings us down. I assert that art can be-and should be- a catalyst for creating community rather than reinforcing too-cool-for-school cliques of one, two or three. I believe it has to be so if we are to keep our selves and our world from falling apart at the seems. Art is the glue that binds us to our humanity from the beginning of time to the end.
In this season of not knowing what’s going to happen next, of feeling acutely insecure about our place in the world, of trying to locate where we fit with the people and in the places that surround us, even where the we we are today fits with the we we were yesterday, can art help us?? Can art anchor us and save us from this terrible drifting, wandering detachment? Can art help us feel real? Connected? Present? I’m looking for art that can. As I find it, I will be sure to let you know and invite you to come see it with me.
