Why Art?

August 10, 2015 • 2 Comments

The circus came to town this week in the form of the Republican Party debate. In my opinion, it met very few traditional debate criteria and was staged more as a mixed martial arts fight, complete with open microphones and the voice of Fox "news" Bret Baier as ring announcer almost shouting "In this corner in the red trunks". Of course, that is not what he said but the evening certainly had a gladiator air to it. The week's counterpoint to that insanity was the final edition of "The Daily Show" hosted by Jon Stewart. Stewart is retiring from the show after sixteen years, and his talent as a comedian, satirist, and mentor was showcased. He took the the interview to an entirely new level, combining a self-effacing wit, intelligence, truly probing questions, and human kindness, and blending them into an art form like no one else has, regardless of their politics. Which takes us back to the title of this blog - "Why Art?"

Humans have always made art and it is all around us. It is proof of life as we know it, in any given time and space. It gives anyone who creates a voice. Everyone creates, and if ever we needed art, it is now, when many times life seems to be reaching several arcs of insanity. But suddenly, something happens that makes us realize how much more we can do. For example, swimmer Katie Ledecky would not necessarily be considered an artist, but during the past week, she has broken every world record for the distance freestyle races. She is an artist in the water. And without fame or fortune, teachers, parents, factory workers, street artists work every day at their art, stopping people in their tracks, asking them to divert their attention to something beautiful. Traditional or an element of daily life, designed purely as function or design, such Hebron glass, or the way fruit and vegetables are stacked at a farmers' market, art is there.

Baumann Gallery_

Buf (William Bufkin 2)

William Bufkin, master woodworker, Talpa

Hebron Glass-2

Hebron glass detail

Why art? Because we must have it and express it. Art is part of our DNA.

until next Monday,

a passion for the image@

Keywords: Baumann Gallery, Taos, Blacks Crossing Photography, Bret Baier, Daryl A. Black, Hebron glass, Jon Stewart, New Mexico, Taos, William Bufkin, art, humor, photography, politics

Comments

Aku Santafe(non-registered)

I was at a dinner party several years ago. The subject of art came up in the conversation, and I spontaneously said, "Everything is art. Everything that a human being does is artful." A retired psychologist at the table immediately became very terse, even angry, and demanded that I explain myself. The conversation became something akin to an interrogation, in which the psychologist and her psychiatrist husband were the interrogators and defenders of the view that all of life's activities are NOT art, or, at least, that such a blanket statement (pun intended, Daryl), was profoundly inaccurate without extensive qualification. This may be, but your blog entry captures the soul of the point I was making that evening. Thank you for posting.

Steve Immel(non-registered)

That's some powerful essay, Daryl, and spot on. It's evident from human history that we are compelled to make art or to ply our trades artfully. It sure can't be the money. The carefully placed onions and garlic are apt examples of doing simple things artfully. My friend Jamie Hindman recently said something along the lines of "Living our lives artfully is the best way to enjoy our time on this planet." I took it to heart and have at least been thinking about living mine that way. It may mean slowing down just a little both to do things artfully and to appreciate things that are done with an artist's touch.

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