Art is culture, art is anything and everything that moves an individual from their original state of being to something more incredible and indescribable. As de Duve explained, "it includes images, but not all images; sounds, but only some; written or printed texts, but only certain ones; two-and three-dimensional objects, some made in the image of humans, but also others that are unrecognizable; gestures, cries, and speeches, but performed or uttered only under certain, extremely variable, conditions; and so on." Thus concluding that art is deciphered by the individual viewer. Sounds, typically a guitar mixed with a soft, yet raspy and soothing voice, usually referred to as acoustic music is my "marking of one of the thresholds where humans withdraw from their natural condition and where their universe sets itself to signifying" (de Duve 5).
Last summer, I attended a Goo Goo Dolls concert; a well-known rock/alternative/indie band. My friends and I had lawn tickets and sat as far back as possible up against a fence. I was a bit disappointed at first due to the fact that you couldn't see a thing, but I guess it didn't matter due to the fact that you would still be able to hear just fine with the help of a few gargantuan speakers. My favorite song came on, "Iris" and in addition it was played acoustically by the lead guitarist. As cliche as it may sound, I sat there with my boyfriend and felt this amazing connection with the lyrics. Everything around me came to a pleasant pause and for the remaining of the song as far as I was concerned my boyfriend and I were the only ones in the sea of people being sung to about our relationship. Goo Goo Dolls has successfully accomplished what many artists set out to do- move audiences with their lyrics and evoke a sense of sameness. The song being sung in that moment brought the best emotions out in me and I started crying as my boyfriend held me. I agree with de Duve as he refers to that fact that anyone, amateur, historian etc can like art and "just as you need no theory of women to love a woman, or of man to love a man, you need no theory of art to love art...Something irresistible attracts you."
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1 comment:
Deanna,
I'm glad you used quotes to back up your ideas. Please continue to do so. For next time, also consider a more in-depth analysis. What are the lyrics of this song and why do they "evoke a sense of sameness"? Is the band simply toying with people's emotions by writing and playing with such sentiment?
Later in the article (p. 34) de Duve discusses that art is a "communication that succeeds only when it fails". If the artist succeeds in communicating an emotion that is universal, is that enough to call something art?
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