Link: Bob.
"I was struck by the degree to which much of the last 100+ years of
what this culture calls "great art" is focused on deep alienation from
that very same culture. And I don't just mean Andy Warhol
comments-on-commercialism, although that's what I was staring at when
it dawned on me. I mean, even big chunks of mainstream pop culture are
all about alienation from... yes, everything the character or their
ruling culture holds dear, with this alienation the defining attribute
of the character's growth. How many heroes have learn to break the
rules? How many outcasts have to reach the summit of a transformed
world? How many boys with no skin have to suddenly develop magic armor?
This
could easily be ignorance, but I just don't see anything much like this
in the art of other cultures. I'm hard-pressed to find this level of
constant self-alienation across multiple media in any culture in
history I can think of. Maybe this is because less developed societies
create fewer works of art, or require them to be integral to survival
for the works even to exist, or maybe a modern society just creates and
preserves more of its own fringes.
Or... and here's what I'm
wondering... it looks like (from my uninformed, sophomoric reading of
things, I say with no false modesty) this meme kicks in bigtime shortly
after the industrial revolution, which brought such dehumanization into
everyday life. Maybe the souls of our artists are collectively onto
something we all already know...?
I don't know what I think, honestly. Curious what you do."
This question sparks a series of (mostly) great comments, many with a kernel of truth to them. My response was shaped by the question and the other comments, so go read them before reading more.
Art school and art criticism often does go to absurd lengths to "explain" work in words that often can't be understood that way. Watch people as they view abstract art. There are some pieces that will make people smile. Some juxtaposition of abstract elements touches that part in us that responds with a smile. It's an emotional response, and when we talk about emotions, we turn to metaphor. We use metaphor to explain abstract art too, and it can be a different metaphor than the artist used, yet still describe the same feeling the artist was after. It can also be so off base that it doesn't connect with the artwork at all, too deep, or too shallow, or too based in the critic's bias.
I wonder if the alienation Bob perceives is that part of art that reflects society, or at least American society. We are divided, terribly alienated from one another. Our communities and institutions are weak, and we don't do a good job of teaching how to be a part of a community, or of how to create community. Instead we condemn and attack those who are different in viewpoint, lifestyle, whatever. Is it any wonder that our art is about alienation?
And yet....we are bombarded with messages that tell us that we can be unique in a group, and be accepted as part of a group, by consuming. At the same time, design and appearance are more valued by consumers (witness Target). Art does create new understanding, and it does reflect society, and to me the divisiveness, consumption of uniqueness, art criticism and teaching, and desire for community are all factors at play here, although I'm not sure exactly how they're all connected.