The Desolation of Smaug
Hey, Vsauce! John here. As a society our definition of "art" is, at most, incredibly loose and nebulous. Many like to argue that art is a concrete, objective, and clearly outlined concept; the very idea of art is to communicate and express ideas, emotions, and beauty through a variety of mediums(such as literature, painting, sculpting, film and a myriad of varieties of expressing oneself). Some may like to argue that even video games, vlogs, memes and other more unconventional forms of expression do qualify as art.
As the Oxford Dictionary defines it, art is the “the expression or application of human creative skill and imagination, typically in a visual form such as painting or sculpture, producing works to be appreciated primarily for their beauty or emotional power.”
Of course, on the other hand, we have people who like to think that art is far more subjective; it is more loose, and it is more than just limited to a few forms of expression as listed above. In some people’s eyes, anything can be interpreted as art. And I mean anything.
I am not at liberty to judge such points of view, as I am in no ideological position to do so.
I think that the idea that anything can be art is just as valid and reasonable as the idea that only specific things can be considered art. I also cannot critique art as a whole, as I hold firm in my belief, that all art is beautiful in it’s own special way.
Take for example, Michael Heizer’s “Levitated Mass”.
Which is a rock. Suspended over a walkway. And it’s art. No argument here. No siree, real art.
Or, take for example, this piece, from the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art.
Yes, clearly, I just don’t get it, I’m far too plebeian to understand it’s profundity.
Let’s also look at this wondrous piece entitled “Artist’s Beanie”, produced by the legendary
Ethan Klein.
Unfortunately, it has been sold for ten thousand dollars at an auction, so we may no longer be able to avail it in person.
However, we are not here today to analyse these wondrous works. No, today, to the best of my mental and philosophical capacity, I will do my very best to observe and deduce the meaning of artwork created by our very own students here at Summit Denali. Yes, that’s right, the burgeoning, young minds of this little school have produced pieces of work to rival Van Gogh, Leonardo Dicaprio, Bruno Buccellati and all those other renaissance artists who probably really aren’t that important. For the most part, looking at the pieces created by my colleagues have really offered me perspective, and helped me get a bit closer to understanding the true meaning of art.
As a matter of fact, I have created a lot art of my own in an attempt to self reflect and look deep into my own mind to better understand myself. And the world around me. And how the world around me affects myself.
But enough dilly dally. It’s time to strap in, buckle your seatbelts, and kiss your mind goodbye because the art I’m about to analyse here is going to blow it. Away. Let’s get started.
PIECE ONE: Space Is For the Wicked, by Joseph “Orion” Clark
Now, the use of color and symbolic significance in this piece is very poignant and understated, yet masterfully orchestrated and channelled. There is a lot to unpack here, so let’s just start our whole analysis.
If you’re familiar with Orion’s work, then you may be aware that the character that is prominently featured here, the big, gray, amorphous mass in the center casting an ominous spotlight, is a bit of a recurring figure. He shows up often, and has become somewhat of a signature for Clark’s series’ of art. He often makes the conscious choice of illustrating this “mascot” wherever and whenever he feels is necessary.
He does this not as a marketing technique, but in order to highlight what this character is meant to represent; intrusiveness, and lack of privacy. Its single, pulsating eye, leaves nothing to hide from its harsh, judgemental gaze.
Here, this character takes center stage, and it shines this yellow light into the darkness of an empty void. Pay attention to the shapes that are caught in it’s light, and the shapes that are not.
The shapes that are within it’s light beam are solitary, alone, and isolated. Now pay attention to the shapes not within its light. They are not solitary, they are combining with other shapes, just out of it’s gaze.
It is around here that we start to see the message Orion Clark tries to convey. The shapes in view of the blob are alone; the shapes out of view of the blob are conjoined with one another.
You could interpret this as government surveillance, but I believe it is something more primal; relationships. When people are under the scrutiny of the public eye, represented by the solitary shapes, they are more reluctant to form relationships, for fear of judgement from their peers, or society as a whole. Shapes that are out of it’s view have the safety given by privacy, which means that they feel like they are in the position to form bonds with others because they will not be scrutinised by others. Orion is trying to say that modern society makes things uncomfortable people attempting to reach out and form bonds, especially bonds of a romantic nature.
Yeah, pretty sad, and, stuff, I guess.
But overall, good use of color, great outlines, very overall psychedelic vibes that it’s emanating.
I’m giving this one a light eight out of ten.
PIECE TWO: Birb**** and Birb****2, by Sarah “Servant of the Dark Gods of Chaos” Flores
(asterisks indicate naughty words)
Now, what we’ve got right here are two pieces that are really just true reflections of the artist who created them, they are plain and simple just raw, unadulterated manifestations of her inner psyche. And remember, this is the same woman who cannibalised my cameraman, Greg (God rest his soul). Both of these pieces represent the fundamental aspects of her inner thoughts and how she views the world around her, in very similar ways.
The aspect of her innermost emotions are prominently displayed in these paintings is her primal, swirling, undying rage. Her pure anger is manifested in these pieces as the empty, soulless birds give you the shivers with their cold stares. This also displays her all consuming appetite for acquiring power, the birds’ mouths are agape, they want to devour you. In this way, she conveys her unrequited desire to become an all powerful dictator who will lead her underground cannibalistic death cult in overtaking the surface world. Please stop her.
Anyways, I like both the pictures. The first one has very soft outlines, it says alot and it manages to do so with a minimalistic color pallette. The second one is good because it utilises these very rigid outlines whilst effectively and efficiently illustrating a very lumpy, nice seagull.
I’m giving these two a hard seven and a medium nine respectively.
PIECE THREE: Fatty Patty, By Jacob Van Tassel
Okay, I might be a bit biased because of nostalgia for the animated masterwork that is Spongebob Squarepants, but I happen to think that this piece is a very respectful and perfect tribute to the Spongebob series. It really reframes and sort of looks at the continuity of the series from a completely different angle, showing how transcendent perspective inverts narrative.
Basically, what I’m trying to say is, the artist who created this has ascended to anew plain of consciousness in similar fashion to Jaden Smith, and then rewatched Spongebob. It is because he is in this sort of heightened state that he now perceives reality differently. So when watching Spongebob he starts to notice things that the normal viewer would not notice, and he communicates this notion through this piece. Were Mr. Krabs’ prominent eyes are missing, which represent how the artist, Jake, has cast off how humans traditionally see the world around them, but in place of the eyes are glasses, which represents how Jake sees the world through lenses. And the background image is this churning maelstrom of color, at the very center of this maelstrom being the simple word “wut”. This represents how the new perspective has somewhat disoriented and jarred Jake, and produces a mix of confusion and fear, but excitement upon witnessing a new dimension of reality.
Overall, it’s very colorful, makes use of a very bright palette, it’s quite easy on the eyes, so I’m giving this one a hard nine.
PIECE FOUR: Aesthetic, By John Duroyan
Now, I think it’s about time for some self reflection. I was the one who created this piece, and I did so by trying to not internalize my emotions, but look at the external aspects of the world. How I view it from the outside.
Now, there is a certain demographic in the modern day that views the new millenia with scorn and contempt, and yearn for another time. Particularly, most would rather have lived in the decade of the 1980s. While I do consider the merits of living in such a unique time period that presents a myriad of thrilling cultural paradigm shifts, one must also consider that their phones were really bulky, technology in general had not quite yet reached it’s adulthood, and people still lived under the constant threat of nuclear obliteration against a backdrop of perpetual political turmoil. At least the music was great. But let us consider for a second, that you lived in the 80’s.
Now, here’s something really interesting. There is also a noticeable demographic within the 80’s that would much rather prefer to have lived in the 60’s. And in the 60’s, it’s safe to assume that there are people nostalgic for the 20’s. You see where I’m going here? There are always people who believe the time that they live in is too tumultuous or too stagnant. People will always have a yearning for an idealized past.
So, I sort of decided to present this notion in my piece. On the surface, it looks like an atypical aesthetic design that encompasses the eighties, but the sun in the center is wherein my symbolism lies. It is far off in the distance, across an ocean of blue vectors, seemingly unattainable. I have used this as a metaphor for that idealised past, presenting it as something distant, far away and unattainable. The swaying blue palm trees off in the distance seemingly mock you, showing you that it can never be reached, no matter how hard you try.
As for the Japanese, I actually forgot what it means.
PIECE 5: NICO NICO NIIIII, by Henry Nickl
Okay...I’m not sure what to make of this piece, it really stirs up a lot of emotions in me. I’m not sure I can look at it for too long without my mind becoming increasingly turbulent, almost as if some hostile, foreign entity is drilling its way into my cranium. Like, just being near it instills this sense of...discomfort, even more so than Sarah’s birb paintings. I sense a sort of primeval horror, a sense that the entirety of the human race and all it’s accomplishments in art, poetry, and culture are completely and utterly futile, and that there are beings of unimaginable power that dwell upon distant stars and vast realms outside normal space and time.
And I feel like these beings are eons old, and they will continue to live on and enact their dark, incomprehensible designs, long after our race is a dead husk. And this painting is like...one of these beings has turned their gaze towards us.
I can feel it…
OH NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
So ummm….. I guess it’s a pretty good painting. Eight out of ten.
Anyways, I really enjoyed doing this, it was not only an introspective journey, but also a journey wherein I learned a bit more about the world around me. Each of these paintings have profound lessons in them, but the lesson you learn is going to be different, for each and everyone of you.
Depending on what kind of person you are, you will always learn your very own, special bit of knowledge from each of these pieces of art. I guess that it’s not just art that’s subjective, but it’s what we see in art that’s objective. You probably derived something completely different, and that’s okay. Our interpretations of art differ greatly, but we perhaps the lessons we derive from each of them are reflections of what we ourselves want to see in it, and that shows the beauty of individuality and differences between people.
Except for that last one. I’m gonna need to sit down. And think. For a while.
