April — Surreal
Real Life Emulation: When Life Supersedes Imitation and Becomes Art Itself
By Tricia Stewart Shiu
“My Heart” – Oystein Sevåg
What if you believe that you are continually creating? From the minute you rise in the morning, until your weary head hits the pillow at night, everything you do and are, is art.
It certainly would make your morning coffee ritual mean something entirely new or it might even breathe new life into your traffic clogged commute to work.
The redefinition of life being the very essence of art, makes it more valuable and the fact that life is truly fleeting, makes it all the more precious.
ARTISTIC ALLEGORY | LE MOT JUSTE
Being present to life, offers us a whole host of personal gifts—emotional fulfillment, creative abundance and openness to more of everything good in life.
But, if life is art, then what makes art, so special? What sets it apart from the everyday, mundane scenario. You know, the kind of art that’s framed and hangs in museums and is sold at auction for, sometimes, millions of dollars. One could argue that those million dollar pieces are just the same as, say, a squashed packet of ketchup on a sunny sidewalk or a sunset selfie at the Getty Villa. After all, in 20 years, those items will have changed beyond recognition. Precious? Maybe not. But, fleeting and irreplaceable, yes.
Art does seem to have one clear requirement—it should be shared. If Degas was correct in saying “Art is not what you see, but what you make others see,” then, perhaps art is a flowing interpretation of life in its momentary expression. That’s just one elucidation of the meaning of art.
In a Huffington Post article, “10 Powerful Responses To The Question “What is Art?” contributor, Andrew Isaac Burrill, asked some artists to define art in their own words.
A few of the quotations are mentioned below. Click on the person’s name to read more of Andrew’s insightful and though-provoking article. Not only were the answers surprising, they were also inspiring and incredibly illuminating. Turns out, we all believe art is unique, in our own perceptions.
Hand painted illustration
CREATIVITY CAN CHANGE THE WORLD!
Update your current Artists Feature and Tour Dates Schedule with CITY Sponsorship – Click on Globe or Dancer for more info.
ZO ARTS CONSORTIUM
SPONSORS, CONTRIBUTORS, and ARTISTS
in all Creative Disciplines.
Avery Singer, 3rd Year at University of Virginia & Reality Television Personality — “To me, Art is an expression of one’s personal emotions that cannot be confined to one definition. It takes on endless forms and can be interpreted in multiple ways through diverse perspectives. It can range from a performance to a painting to even a landscape. It’s a therapeutic form of release that does not necessarily need words.”
Back to Degas. Is it possible to influence others to see exactly what we want? After all, we all have free will and the gift of objectivity.
In fact, the mere act of passing along Degas’ words, makes Yoko Ono an intermediary or interpreter, of sorts, or maybe a collaborator. As creative beings, we are beholden to our newest idea and that concept will continue to change as we encounter external stimuli.
Vanessa Ochs, Creative Writing Fellowship Recipient from National Endowment for the Arts
“To me, Art is an alternative world, one we create that stands in contrast to the world we regularly live in, which is messy, unplanned, unedited, uninspired, unfocused, draining, largely immoral … Art is the best of our imaginings, shaped to share.”
There is simply no imitation going on. Technology offers an infinite number of ways to re-interpret, re-imagine, re-create, innovate or maybe even appropriate art. At any given moment, we are within a beginning middle or end of any artistic process.
Carmen Aiello, Hollywood Casting Director and Producer. “To me, Art is a constant struggle. It’s a business, an escape, and an outreach. Art is a collaboration of individuals coming together to make a statement. It is a relentlessly unforgiving fury that has the potential to magically transform itself into beauty without ego.”
In an interview for an article on Design which will be published in ZO Magazine, later this year, Jeremy Kaplan, President, ECD, Art Machine said this about his creative work with his team: “I learn something new every day. You are only as strong as the people you’re surrounded with, so I would never claim ownership over anything. But, I feel like I can claim ownership of being a part of a lot of it. So, that part is great. I get to do that every day and there are ups and downs to that process. Being able to design artwork, work with amazing photographers and designers, that’s the thing I love about all of it.”
No matter how you decide to define art and its connection with everyday life, one thing is for certain, nothing is ever certain. Art, in whatever form it is perceived, is everywhere and is always changing.
