SHOULD ART NEED AN EXPLANATION

July 05, 2018

My friend sends me this title in a screen shot of his IPhone notepad feeling like i needed a trigger warning. Well after wondering what to write for the past few weeks i was already feeling trigger happy and he just handed me a loaded gun. There so much you could say on such a conversation starter especially when he followed it up by saying that it can apply to any art form, OH COME ON! He had a point however, should your art piece need context or do you think they should be judged and consumed on their face. Maybe the only reason why you feel like you're not accepted as an artist is because you don’t let your art speak for itself

Scene: Donald Glover (Childish Gambino) in "This Is America" music video

I might be digging myself a hole here but with any luck i’ll make my way out. Let's take a really simple and straightforward example, you go to a gallery. Now there’s art on the wall and each of them have a small card next to them with a title, medium and maybe, just maybe a little context as to what it is you’re looking at. I don’t know about you but rarely have i have read the context, looked back at the art piece and been like “OH! I get it know”, It’s just not that simple.

Everyone has particular taste for all kinds of art forms, they will have their own reasons for understanding a work of art but that’s not to take away from its reason to exist. Often listening to what you might call a “really good song” isn’t to do with its complex rhythms or hypnotic melodies it’s because you relate to it in one way or another. We like hearing someone express themselves in a way that we can relate to (like any good D&M), just don’t get mad at them if it’s a bad relation. They might be portraying a similar feeling but it is most likely to come from a different place or experience.

Black Iris - Georgia O'Keeffe (American, Sun Prairie, Wisconsin 1887–1986 Santa Fe, New Mexico)

It’s this alone that could be the reason why this question exists; without explanation we take it to heart, relating in ways only we know but with an explanation the emotional connection is lost. Making a telling song, dance or art work rich with flavour and story become merely something senseless like white noise, moving in unusual ways and a spilt can of paint.

“I think that while context may impact how a receiver views / perceives / values / appreciates a piece of work, that it shouldn’t be required to determine whether something is “good” or “isn’t good”. Take the approach that your art should be able to speak for itself, and that if it needs further explanation or understanding on its face, then perhaps what is being presented was not fully conceptualised within itself.” - Marco Madamba