Re: Extropic art: symbolism, interpretation et al

From: E. Shaun Russell (e_shaun@uniserve.com)
Date: Tue Mar 18 1997 - 10:06:49 MST


On 28\8\96 I wrote:

> The first thing to remember (other than what I mentioned above)
>about reviewing any kind of art is that it is almost totally subjective.
>This might be a little dismaying to those of us who have read much
>Aristotle or Ayn Rand, but it is an exception to the 'A is A' way of
>thinking...it's more of an objective subjectivity. When one looks at a
>piece of art (lets take the Mona Lisa for example), they can either feel
>that it is good or bad. Objectively, --this is what I mean by objective
>subjectivity-- the person looking at the Mona Lisa should have this feeling
>of good or bad regardless what critics or anyone else thinks. The Mona
>Lisa is not good because it was painted by Leonardo da Vinci, it is good
>because the one who is looking at it feels it is good.

        The same holds true for this thread. There need not be any
definition for art, nor for that matter, any definition for a definition of
art. Anyone can get something out of a piece of art, just as anyone can get
something out of a puffy white cloud floating across the periwinkle
perimeter of the sky; just as anyone can get something out of an inkblot.
It is really quite a simple concept. There are no rights or wrongs to
someone's kosher interpretation...unless it is paired with the artist's
intent. Just because "The Tyger" is written by a religious man (Blake)
supposedly about religious things, I have seen the poem in a much different
way. Once paired with the artist's intent, my interpretation appears
incorrect, though I myself find it to stand true. We are all artists, and
we are all art critics. We need no orthodoxy or protocol or boxed
definitions to quell the freedom of interpretation. Love things because
*you* love them, not because it is your duty to love them. Cradle each
piece of art like it is your own offspring...for it is. But most of all,
listen to what it has to say to you, for it has a voice, but it speaks
different words to each who want to hear it.

                                        Kineticize!

                                                -E. Shaun Russell

_________________________________________________________________________
        0
     ~~~:~~~> E. ternity E. Shaun Russell
        :~~> E. xpansion e_shaun@uniserve.com
        :~~~> E. xtropy Extropic Artist,
                                                Transhumanities editor for
The present is only an abstract concept Homo Excelsior Magazine
between past and future. -E.S.R. http://www.excelsior.org
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