1# pkulm
好像上面的格式有点乱……
Issue144 “It is the artist, not the critic, who gives society something of lasting value.” Is it the artist, not the critic that gives society something of lasting value, as the author asserts?I concede that it is the artist whose outstanding talent and creative imagination that is ultimately responsible for the lasting value of the art works. At the same time, however, I believe that the critics also play a vital role in preserving and maintaining the value of the artist’s works for long. First and foremost, there is no doubt that the most invaluable artworks come out from the artist’s authentic passion, the unique creative impulse as well as the persistent spirit, which are the treasures of society over the span of history. Without Leonardo da Vinci and his prominent creativity, could we enjoy the great works such as “The Final Supper” and “Mona Lisa”
,which are full of his inspiration and imagination? Without Beethoven and his eminent spirit, would there be the symphony-chorus, which is considered as the most beautiful music by the latter critics? Jan Vermeer, who is considered to be one of the greatest painters during the “Dutch Golden Age”, has left no legacy but debts to his family since he has never sold one of his paintings during his life. His works did not attract people’s attention until nearly one hundred years later. Without his conviction to create a more perfect world through paintings and deliver the eternal theme of his paintings—love, it would have been impossible for the future generations to appreciate his valuable masterpieces.
Despite the merits of the statement, however, further reflection makes clear to me that the vital role of the critics in preserving and maintaining the lasting value of the artist’s works can never be underestimated. Firstly, the art critics are the ones who dig out in-depth the profound connotation of the works of art with their knowledge and learning, and thus I believe, make certain contributions to the lasting value of the works. After all, there is no doubt that art, in its broadest meaning, is the act of making works using the human creative impulse, which undoubtedly means that there may be some kind of meaning beyond simple description behind the materials artists present to us. This expression of creativity and imagination, however, can sometimes be confusing to the layperson who has not certain insight about these works. As a result, the emotional impact the art has on the senses and spirits of the ordinary people may be limited. Consider, for example, the Leonardo Da Vinch’s masterpiece --Mona Lisa, whose mysterious smile not only arouse the curiosity among people but also bring about a variety of explanations for it. It is the art critics, with their knowledge,learning and passion, that do their best to dig out the profound connotation in-depth: the attempts to take advantage of modern techniques as a powerful tool to explore the hidden amazing skills, add to our knowledge about the development of the arts during the particular period of time, as well as inform us of the artist’s view point towards religion. In this case, without the thorough knowledge of art history and a keen eye for art from the critics, our interpretation of the great masterpiece may have been otherwise superficial. This example aptly illustrates that the critic’s role of maintaining the lasting value of the masterpieces can never be neglected. Secondly, the art critics help to enhance our appreciation and understanding of art, which I believe is another way of assisting the artists in maintaining the last long value of their works. Critics of this idea may argue that appreciation such as the literary criticism is just what is taught and performed by teachers of literature in the university. I concede that the knowledge we learn in classrooms--how to read a poem, how to enjoy the complexity of a metaphysical conceive is useful for a layperson. However, our harvest would be enlarged as we learn more from the different opinions from the critics, in a professional level. Through listening to these opinions, for instance, I no longer regard Hamlet as a pathetic character but to realize that this character can be evaluated from so many different aspects.
In sum, from what has been discussed above, I may finally draw the conclusion that while the invaluable arts come out from the outstanding artist, the critics’ indispensable and vital role in maintaining and promoting this long-lasting value can never be neglected. |
发表于 2010-8-12 17:15:30
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