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Who is to say what is art anyway?
Capresse des colonies- Charles CordierFor my first museum trip I visited the Musée d’Orsay. It is kind of across from the Louvre and although everyone usually goes there first I thought that d’Orsay would be less crowded so that I could enjoy the art more. I went with a group of friends which made the trip a little more “interesting”. I actually got into a fight with one of them over a painting. I feel art is something that moves you or inspires you. Something that is unique and that takes life unto itself. But when I see something that I feel I could paint myself hanging in a museum and calling it art, it makes me angry. So we stumbled on a painting that was blue. That’s right it was blue, nothing but. Supposedly I was supposed to feel blue, I don’t know if my friend meant the color (which I don’t possess the gene for) or the emotion which I was to angry to feel at the moment. I was supposed to feel blue that is all I know. But I did not feel blue or the blue and so I walked away in search of some real art. I was told that if someone can put a dead shark in formaldehyde at MOMA and call it art then the painting could be too. Actually, I saw that shark and all I could think was what a waste of space and how with the funding I could also put a dead shark in MOMA. I felt kind of bad afterwards because who I am I to say what is art and what is not. All I know is what is art to me, so I had a little lesson that day in respecting others opinions, but still sticking to my own. But onto better things, I was looking for paintings of people of color I could not find any. I did, however, find a couple of statues. It depicted the black woman as beautiful and content rather than the statue of La Negresse at the Met which represented the woman as a stereotype and her affliction. I found Monet and his water lilies, as well as some Renaissances art which is my favorite, because of its religious depiction. Two of my favorites were model of an opera house cut in half and a model of the city of Paris hidden under glass on the floor. After that we went to a café and had a coffee and talked for a little while. It was nice and taking my time and reflecting instead of always being on the move is a nice change of pace.
Art fights
Fighting over "what is art?" is so apropos for a trip to the Musée d’Orsay—it's so French. They've been arguing over that for ages. Here's an article, for example, about the riots provoked by the surrealists.
I agree with the fact that it
I agree with the fact that it is hard to come to terms with contemporary art for those of us who are attached to classic art in some ways. Nevertheless, I am taking a contemporary art class this semester to open up my perspective and understand what it is about. I have also learned that when you look at a piece of contemporary or modern art you have to be well aware of the intention of the artist. Once the context is clear, the artist encourages the viewer to formulate questions. These questions that come from the pieces are what interests the artist because they pay much attention to what the different responses are. With this type of art, different rules apply since the whole concept of beauty is almost dead for contemporary artists. It does seem very sad that art does not have to be beautiful or elaborate to be called art but it is interesting to explore the reasons why artists have come to that point. What is it that is happening in our world and in our developing process as humanity that is making art change? Like my art teacher said, artist can be seen as the recorders of trends of the period. Through their work, they show what is happening in our current time.
The blue painting does not only evoke an emotional state but it also has the power to make us think about the identity of colors...