Today my boss who has recently returned from a business trip to Japan commented on the piece of art shown above which he saw in a museum while there. Regarding this work of art he said the following:
"But when I look at this one, I have a hard time finding the artistic talent."
I thought about what he said because to me this art has meaning and I've always authentically enjoyed modern art.
To him I responded the following:
"Maybe there isn't a lot of artistic talent. Maybe it's the fact that it's been created and that it can have an impact on you that makes it art. For example, to bring art to a personal level, I like to consider how I would feel if I came home everyday and a piece of art was in my living room or in my kitchen. What subtle effect might that have on me? This piece of "art" for example almost looks like a square that has been cut out from a worktable, schematics, architectural doodles or even scientific/logical notes of some sort. There is a sort of feeling to it of "production" or notes that could lead to "production." Soooooooo, if you agree with that general sense of what it comes from or what it looks like, what could that sense of "production" or "schematics" contribute to your home atmosphere if you put these all over your living room or all over your kitchen? You might assume that there would be no influence but eventually you'd probably want to knock them all down! Why? I don't know.....but mostly because they are having some kind of effect on you That to me is the interesting thing about art. What effect is it having on me? Why does it bother me that this piece seems to have no talent? Why would someone want to display this? Am I being conned? The very fact we ask these questions shows the effect of the art.......at least that's what I think. It's easy to see that someone has skill in drawing a human form because it looks or does not look like a human form but it is less easy to determine what has impact on us without the forms that we are used to."
After this response (which may or may not have resonated with him) I began to think about the forms and the personas that are easy for us as humans to accept. We accept artistic forms that look like things we have been taught to understand and we grow frustrated by what we have not been taught. We don't tend to be uncomfortable with what is outside-of-the-box because it is truly incomprehensible outside of what we have been taught to decipher as having meaning. But it exists! And just because it exists I believe it demands attention. (Perhaps that's why it bugs people so much when they look at it!)
We accept the personas that we have been taught are acceptable: the logical, the happy, the perfect, the strong. But what about the personas that have value but are often shoved under the rug? These personas such as the stubborn, the emotional, the obsessive (this persona has it's gifts when used wisely), the angry (very important to use this persona's gifts), the dark, the nervous, and the obscure. These personas are forms inside of us that make most of us nervous and that we don't recognize as readable or acceptable. THEY JUST SEEM SO DAMN NAUGHTY! However, that does NOT mean these forms are not readable. They certainly are but often instruction or deeper investigation is required. Turn inside yourself to consider and instruct yourself on why alternate forms (whether in art or in the personas you develop and accept inside of yourself) might be valuable to you personally.
Also read this post: How negative personas can be a great gift to your overall strength.
See the Personified Physique Persona videos for great physical, mental and psychological health and integration!
