Daniela Edstrom
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Life is about appreciating the differences

11/1/2017

2 Comments

 
What is different in art and in life in general should not be

discouraging . . . rather, it should be inspirational.
The things one 

​sees in our travels and naturally in our environment are meant to be discovered, 

somehow understood. When one comes upon an object or piece of art that is different,

​unconventional, even "ugly or unpleasant", the reaction should not be of disdain but 
​
rather of questioning.  Why does one dislike something or ignore it because it is out of 

​our ordinary experience or collective memory??? The introduction to it, our coming 

​upon it, may be sour . . . not pleasurable because it does not meet our standards of 

​beauty or does not communicate in our "common language." But differences are what 

make our world interesting . . . more beautiful, more engaging. 


​What if you were the only white skinned individual in a tropical, African village???? 

​Would your skin color first offend, or would it draw interest because it is out of the

​ordinary? Would you seem to inspire interest or would you be ignored or even 

​shunned? All is in the eye of the beholder and the reactions ARE based on cultural

​values, often centuries old and ingrained in a particular society. Then, if a work of art

​is blatantly different, from what is typical in a region or from what is trending in a 

​society, is it acceptable, is it of value? Often in art history that which was "challenging"

​and visually "difficult" later became that which was the most avant-garde and then

​most fashionable. Life is not meant to be easy, neither is art. Good art is often difficult; 

​the best of what humanity has produced has been distinctly challenging - defying 

​standard codes of acceptance and traditions (values aesthetic and moral). 


​Thus, the rule is: When it offends, ask why! When it screams different or avant-garde, 

​ask: What does it mean? Do not walk about life with blinders on. Believe you have a 

​discerning eye and mind. Don't be a lazy viewer and don't be a lazy painter, sculptor, 

​designer, etc. Believe you can say something of value, lasting value. Deny no 

​experience, therefore . . . wade into the choppy waters and swim.

2 Comments
Robert
11/20/2018 06:52:46 am

Interesting article. Thanks.

Reply
Daniela Edstrom link
8/26/2021 05:18:02 pm

Thank you.

Reply



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