[Jewelry making - Article 01766] - Re: [Orchid] Is it Art? Is it Craft?

[Silverspotstudio]

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>     There is a lot of art whose subject matter is dark or painful or
>     its execution off color that is nevertheless powerful, beautiful
>     and even transformative.

    This is getting into "philosophy of art" territory here (Whoa! Break
    out the Heidegger!), but I think we're now branching into an attempt
    to define two notoriously indefinite things: art _and_ beauty.   I
    find myself agreeing with both Terrie and Andy here.   I've always
    thought that art, as a visual medium, should at least be visually
    interesting.  It's surprising how much art has been done that isn't -
    so many pieces in all sorts of media have been done that have so
    little visual content that you can look at them, say "yep, that's
    the gist of that," and move on.   Art works like these have the same
    effect on me as bad jokes - once you've gotten the punchline, there's
    no need to linger. 

    On the other hand, an artwork that falls into my personal definition
    of "good"-ness will draw the viewer in, regardless of the viewer's
    feelings about the subject matter. A good composition, especially
    if it is executed in a way that demonstrates a mastery of the medium,
    will give you reason to further examine the piece.   When it relates
    to a disturbing or distasteful subject, a piece like this will have
    far more impact than the aforementioned "one-liners" because the
    viewer is compelled to spend more time sounding the visual depths of
    the piece, and therefore spends more time considering the subject.  

    One of the best examples of such an artwork that I have seen
    appeared as the cover of an issue of Time several months ago, about
    the crisis in the Sudan: 

    http://www.time.com/time/covers/0,16641,1101041004,00.html 

    This, to me, was an exquisitely beautiful photograph of an
    emotionally wrenching subject (a mother caring for her dying son),
    and it was all the more moving and beautiful because of the
    suffering and tenderness that it depicted. I kept having to hide the
    issue's cover because I couldn't keep from being drawn into it each
    time I happened to glance at it. Now, that's some powerful art. The
    photograph was probably not even intended as an "art work" by the
    photographer, but it eminently succeeds as one. 

    This is a great thread - let's keep it happening!   I'm glad so many
    readers enjoyed the link to "Ashes and Snow" - I wish I could see it
    in person, but the website is pretty darn cool. 

Cheers,

Jessee Smith
www.silverspotstudio.com
Cincinnati, Ohio

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