People often question the validity of modern artwork and wonder what exactly makes a piece of art have value and a place in the art world.
This is particularly true for minimalistic pieces, like the work of Ellsworth Kelly or, for abstract pieces, Jackson Pollock.
I am neither an art historian or an artist, but merely someone who has an appreciation for the history, ideas, practices and people behind art. I'd like to present a few ideas to those who wonder why some art is considered art.
Consider Fauvism, a style of art that emerged in the early twentieth century characterized by strong color palettes and painterly strokes. (Think of Henri Matisse.)
Critics wrote the artists off as "fauves," which translates from French into "wild beasts." If you can manage to transport yourself back to that time, from 1904-1908, this criticism makes sense. Patrons of the art were used to looking at the more moderate impressionistic works of Claude Monet and Pierre-Auguste Renoir, so the bright coloring of Fauvist work was jarring.
This sort of criticism happens all the time in everyday life. People are naturally averse to change and radical ideas.
To cite an example from history, Europeans initially mocked Orville and Wilbur Wright for their innovations in flight. Streaming online video was at first ignored by many, but now Netflix, Hulu and Amazon Prime Instant Video have closed down traditional video rental stores, such as Blockbuster.
New ideas and techniques are the cornerstone of the art world, pushing it forward to create something that is entirely new, because who wants to look at the same thing over and over again?
Perhaps it might be helpful to think of art not in just terms of aesthetics, but in terms of emotion as well.
I like to apply Ernest Hemingway's iceberg theory with art: what you see at the surface is only a small part of what lies underneath. The tip out of the water is what you see - the painting on the wall, the sculpture in the garden - but what lies beneath the water is much more.
It consists of the story behind the work, the life of the artist, the world at the time, the emotions of the viewer.
Art isn't something you just look at. It's like a novel in that you enter a world that is altogether unique; a place with history, culture and characters.
Don't just look at the tip of the iceberg. Art, in any form, is the most beautiful and complicated combination of aesthetics, history, politics, skill and culture.
Elizabeth Wieck is the managing editor at The Auburn Plainsman. She can be contacted via email at elw0009@auburn.edu.
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