[Steve] Art as experience. I think the act of producing art helps one to appreciate "high-quality" art.
[Arlo] And I'd agree with you, Steve, albeit I'll take a moment to nitpick, because it sounds a bit too focused on an art "object" there at the end (which could just be the fault of common language). Indeed, its tough to talk about "art" without using the word "art" to refer to the material/visual/aural manifestations of human activity. But since I'm serious about pushing "art" to be revisioned not as the the "artifact" but as a participatory experience where an artifact can be see retrospectively as a catalyst, perhaps, towards breaking down static barriers, "art" as a synonym for "object" is something I resist. Having said all that, I'd say that "artful behavior towards a certain activity can engender artful behavior towards other activities". When one paints with "artful engagement", one becomes respectful of "artful engagement" towards playing the guitar. When one tunes one's motorcycle, or builds a rotisserie, with "artful engagement", appreciating the work of a pianist or belly-dancer is much easier. I'm likely flogging a dead horse, but since this was a key "a ha!" point for me with ZMM, its one I tend to get excited about. [Steve] Therefore, instead of "lack of educated taste," people would probably appreciate art if they experienced how hard it is to make art themselves. [Arlo] I think they would appreciate art if they experienced it period. This gets back to the whole ZMM thing. "Art" has become a frivolous word, applied to things hanging in museums, and divorced for being a meaningful part of everyday experience. The mechanic who approaches his motorcycle with the eyes and heart of a craftsman, will develop the same appreciation for art-experience as someone who studies how to paint or chisel marble statues. "Art" is NOT an elective to be applied like syrup over the syllabus (I'm not suggesting you imply this), "art" is an integral part of the experience of math, poetry, cookery, rhetoric, fixing motorcycles, building bridges and raking leaves. It is the "right way" of doing anything, that exhibits the beauty, harmony and rhythm of existence. The "art", if you will, is not the music you create, it is the act of creating something that exhibits such beauty and rhythm and harmony as to facilitate a sort-of transcendence among all involved. And if people approached their everyday activity with that mindset, then appreciation for all these other activities would (I hope!) fall naturally into place. [Steve] Bear with me if I'm mixing threads here or if this point has been made already, haven't read these in a while. [Arlo] Nope, the point hasn't been made. Thanks for joining in! moq_discuss mailing list Listinfo, Unsubscribing etc. http://lists.moqtalk.org/listinfo.cgi/moq_discuss-moqtalk.org Archives: http://lists.moqtalk.org/pipermail/moq_discuss-moqtalk.org/ http://moq.org.uk/pipermail/moq_discuss_archive/
