Art as utility, or not?

Modernism—utility vs luxury, reason vs emotion, rational vs irrational. Arts advocates are notorious for pulling together any rational argument they can to garner support for the arts. And there really, truly is much to be found. There are many studies showing the economic impact of the arts, health impact of the arts, educational impact, social justice impact, etc. The National Endowment for the Arts tagline these days is “Art works”, with all the implications of what that means.

Yet many artists and even arts advocates resist these ideas. Art is important enough on it’s own. It does not need to be justified by some form of utility. I have even said, even if art did none of those things art would still be important.

Now I am not so quick to such a proclamation. Because I think that if art did not do any of those things it would no longer be art. Modernism...

TL/DR

Another long post, but things I think need saying (even if a bit meandering musings) if only to get closer to a solution. The problem of art is not simple. While I still contend a great deal of the problem today is resultant of the Enlightenment, utility and reason vs emotion and irrational, we are stuck in an entanglement of issues. On one hand this is really the root of the problem. On the other, it is not really all that helpful to say “We just need to change our worldview on art and beauty and everything will be okay”.

While this assessment is valuable state-of-the-cultural-environment information, I think one of the outcomes of this analysis is to allow us to not generate a solution. It does not put feet to words. It allows us to argue about the problem at a theoretical level. But the arguments do not generate actual solutions. We continue to fight a culture war without an...

I know lots of people think it is sullying art by talking about money and making money with art. Art is far too “sacred” to desecrate the discussion with talk of money. But until we live in a post monetary economy, we need to make money with something. If you have decided it is with your art, there is a whole new way of thinking you may have to exercise. Here are a couple of links about working as an artist.

Artists tell themselves many things about the art world. Most are fantasies. This article is from a website just about any artist can learn from if they are trying to make a living with their art, Articles for Artists: Resources to Present, Promote, Market Your Art from the website Art Business.

Community theatres have a social function, and it is to be that kind of an irritant in the shell of their community…Eliminate them, however—bully them into conformity—and nobody in...

There was a commercial from UPS a while back. It starts off with a bunch of corporate higher ups in a conference room having a brain storming session. The narrator says “While every one upstairs is busy thinking outside the box,” (then cuts to a guy in shipping looking at some strange configuration of a product) “You are trying to figure out how to ship the box”.

I appreciate and respect all the theologians and even the artists who seek a theology of or for art. I suppose someone has to do it. I also think about all the discussions by non-artists about beauty, what is or isn’t art, what is faith in art, where is faith in art, where is God in art, what about activism, etc., etc. While all that is worthy of study and discussion (or not), it misses the real pressures of making a living with one’s art making.

In the end the artist is stuck looking at a blank canvas, a blank page, a body...

I know it sounds pretty dismal trying to make a living as an artist. In truth, though, I know a number of people (and you probably do, too) who are working in a career that has little if anything to do with their degree. So this affect others, not just art majors, equally. Sometimes we have to admit that education is its own reward. Of course that doesn’t help ease the sting of college loans. Just be sure to choose wisely. This is not a short post. And even after four years of college you may still not have the answers you need.

What is an artist to do?

One of the things the artist has to decide is how important is it to make a living as an artist vs being potentially freer to create whatever you want without the need for it to generate revenue. This is a big decision and may even change as you progress through your career.

The pressures are also different depending on what type of...

Two things while I work on the next article.

How should God define himself? In spite of humanity? Or within humanity? Which would we better understand?

Also, a video of a debate that touches on my current topic of working and selling art. In a debate on whether the art market judges what is best or what will sell, one of my favourite art critics and historians, Matthew Collings, says The art market judges what will sell, not what is the best quality

If you have time to watch through the other debate participants, it is well worth the time.

Thanks for reading!

Joe

Left out

In all the important discussions about art—what is art, what is beauty, how important is any of that—I do feel one very important perspective is often left out of the discussion, art making as your job. Some people don’t want to sully the discussion, art is important, period. But the reality is a lot of people want to earn their living making art. It is not just about making art, but making art that sells.

This really is a big topic. Maybe that is why a lot of people don’t want to discuss it. I am breaking this up into three parts. First, I am going to survey the arts career landscape. Second, I am going to discuss how making art and making a living making art can inform each process. Third, I’ll discuss the societal and faith implications. The topic doesn’t really trisect that cleanly, so there will be some overlap. But, at least here in the beginning, that segmentation...

It’s a tough world out there!

I know not everything I write is for everyone. I know some artists who have found a group of people and/or a church where they are given space and encouragement to be the artists they are. They are not looked down upon. And maybe even admired for working in the arts. I know there are more churches today than even ten years ago that believe the arts are an integral part of our being. Little of what I say will have much, if any, relevance for these people. I’m okay with that.

I am actually encouraged by that. There were a lot of dark days where it seemed everyone and his brother was trying to expose how rock music is from Satan and his demons. How Modern art is degenerate. How every fantasy book, even the one’s written by Lewis or Tolkien were actually going to turn us all to witchcraft. I remember sitting in a congregation hearing a pastor praise God...

The importance of Beauty

A lot has been said and written about beauty over the last few years. Whether it is Roger Scrutton throwing a tantrum about Modern Art in general, or the Turner Prize specifically, or Makoto Fujimura’s Culture Care movement (which I fully endorse and do what I can to participate, as it were) Or even evangelicals lamenting that beauty is in dire straights. There has been a lot of concern expressed about the status of beauty and whether or not it is in crisis. A lot of people feel beauty needs defending.

In a world wrought with violence and destruction as much as it is currently, beauty is more important than ever. In a world that values utility, “form over function”, beauty is more needed than ever. Especially as we seem to apply “utility” to our humanity more and more.

(Ironically, “form over function”, as a derisive jab, is a twisted (lack of) understanding...

I’ve seen the discussion come up again, that somehow if Christian artist could achieve some level of excellence they would be able to break some prophetic threshold. Lack of excellence is getting in the way of the Christian message. Or so this is what some are saying. There is a problem with this attitude.

Bad art happens. That is how you know you are on the right track.

Artists need to have the space to do bad work. Art is one of those things that you can only get better at by doing it. That means there will be mistakes made. We won’t always get it right. And we need to make mistakes because that is how we learn. We need what the videos I posted before called “The Lost Years”. There is no short cut. You don’t start out making great art. No artist should wait until they are sure they will get it right. There is no other way to know if you are at that point until you are willing to...