Over analyzing anything can take away from its meaning. For example, during the Visual arts exam last year, my work got poked and prodded and given completely useless critiques. One was a larger drawing of a monarch butterfly. I was mainly focusing on the fact they are beautiful, and had been inspired to draw it because I raise them in the summertime. But that wasn’t abstract enough for the art examaner. “You should have…warped it… like it was in a bubble or something.” And why would I do that? Apperently the simple meaning behind it wasn’t comlex enough for her. She didn’t like that it wasn’t a controversial issue; ie: abortion, free speech, AIDS, anorexia, etc.
Another peice, a oil pastel painting of Slash —> http://campnorth.tv/artwork/1893 , was critiqued for not exploring “different angles and views”. She absent-mindedly pointed to the center of the canvas, then the corners, bottom and top. “I noticed that your art comes from here, here, and….here. And is viewed from the front.” I was a bit taken back. Last time I checked, subjects are GENERALLY viewed from the front. And, she pointed to every section of the canvas, so I don’t know if she wants me to paint on the back next time. I’m not going out of my way to be abstract and art-studenty.
As a result, art does not excite me anymore. I’m sick of looking at my own work. After that critique, I can only see the things wrong with my work. After all that, I don’t even know what I did right. Arcadia went through an exam as well, and came out looking just as confused as I was.
Analyzing art shouldn’t have to be painful. It shouldn’t detract from the overall quality of the work. Did the artist actually intend for their work to be torn apart and examined like that? Its not like anybody would know the true meaning behind a peice of work, except for the artists themself. Maybe they just want to paint a certain subject because they like it. Or maybe they’re just not “controversial” enough, according “real artists”.
Maybe I’ll just create a peice of art dedicated to the hypocracy of IB, and see if they like the ”controversy” then.
ushtobe said,
September 21, 2008 at 7:29 pm
“a peice of art dedicated to the hypocracy of IB” LOL
jinxedbyemily said,
September 22, 2008 at 12:46 am
XD Well, they have a lot of silly little rules now, I didn’t think they cared that much about the color of the book or even what color ink we use.
Arcadia: “Why does the book have to be black? Then they all look the same! I though art was about individuality!”
Mr. Cook: “Well, at a uniform school, how do you stand out from the rest of the crowd?”
Arcadia: “Little hair bows!”
Cook: “No, your personality!”
*Arcadia looks disgusted*