ISSUE144

gtjohnUID: 2813321

TOPIC: ISSUE144 - "It is the artist, not the critic,* who gives society something of lasting value."

*a person who evaluates works of art, such as novels, films, music, paintings, etc.
WORDS: 296          TIME: 00:45:00          DATE: 2010-6-30 5:15:51

Mona Lisa, the masterpiece created by Da Vinci, has always been the hot topic during the past century. People are speculating the stories of this beautiful lady, but even when you take a tour in Louvre, standing in front of the painting, you can never tell the mystery of her meaningful smile. That is, I suggest, why critics exist: the artists produce the works of art which give the society something of value, and the critics interpret them to help the mass understand and appreciate them.

Actually, we can appreciate most works of art even without the critics. Artists, with years of training and long periods of time to produce any object of value, communicate  with the mass through their products with various forms - novels, films, music, paintings and so forth. Life experience combined with superior skills will enable them to express their emotions that will be listened, seen and felt without words or any explanations. Children will start to dance at the hearing of Cha-Cha-Cha(better example PasoDoble), and I am sure you will have psychic resonance and marvel at the pressing rhythm and strong powerful emotion of the "fate symphony" even if you do not know which was composed by Beethoven after he had been deaf. You may think there is nothing special in the "sun flower" when compared with other bodegones. But when you get acquainted with Van Gogh's rough lifetime and persistence in painting, you will know the meaning of his words, "Pain is life", and begin to realize and be touched by the passion and hope in the distinguished painting. Similar to the awe we feel when we face the beauty of nature, we can be moved by the works of art which provide a fine answer to the eternal quest for the beauty of human. However, critics do not provide these feelings and they do not have the need.

On another hand, the works of art are treasures of our civilization in the society. They are also the mines for subsequent(or later?) artists. Winged Victory of Samothrace, another masterpiece of Louvre, is an original Greek statue which admired and followed by thousands of artists and sculptors. The sculpture, which represents the highest level of craftsmanship in ancient times and becomes the pearl of art in modern times, had been commented with "a masterpiece of destiny" as a timeless icon of Western art by Andre Malraux, a famous French politics, author and critic. He also said that, art alone is both subject to time and yet victorious over it. The lapse of time is the filter that separate the wheat from the chaff, which was illustrated in the Van Gogh's situation. From this point, the critics try to comprehend a work of art with their own knowledge and define its value; however their opinions were confined in accordance with the contemporary judgments which might last for no long time.

Indeed, we need critics to interpret and evaluate the art works. Some artists do not like critics and they will just express their voice of heart by products. They do not have time or inclination to learn the whole art history and to master the critical theory. However, the mass will understand the art better with the critics' comments that is combination of broader knowledge and lively style of writing. The paintings which are often vague in meanings could become understandable and imaginable after the explanation of the critics. Another reason we need critics is that, they are often more professional in art. They will provide us with decent advices which work of art is undeserved for appreciation and  recommend the fine products to the mass. Sometimes the controversy between artists and critics can promote the quality of art itself. One apt example is the advancement of montage, a technique in film editing in which a series of short shots are edited into a sequence to condense space, time and information. Critics, who serve for the artists and the mass, are like the accompaniment of artists.

Without artists there is no art, without critics we may not better understand and appreciate the art. However, the lasting value given to the society is provided by the artists. Sometimes, the opinions of the critics represent contemporary minds, but they not preventing people from feeling the true value of art by their own hear.