ISSUE144

九微火UID: 2343684

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: 497          TIME: 00:40:00          DATE: 2008-4-2 19:55:40

The artist, who motive our spirits and inspire our motion by their creation of art, add our life the colorful elements and affluent mental enjoyment. While a critic, who evaluates works of art instead of create it, bring about the assessment, introduction of art. I agree with the author insofar as that the artist gives society something of lasting value. However, when it comes to the spread and influence, and the progress, the critics play an indispensable role for the development and revolution of art.

The function of art can be classified to these aspects as following. Firstly, to cultivate is one of the most functions of art. A person with an insightful understanding of art is a tasteful person who usually has good manners. In upper classes, almost all the people have the knowledge about distinguishing arts. Knowing the art is a mark of people in upper classes to some extent.

Secondly, to motive one's spirits is another essential function of arts. Many great figures who win a great achievement in any realms, even the most abstruse realms, have an interest in arts. For instance, Albert Einstein, who create the well known relative theory that present a profound interpretation about the relationship between time and space, have a enthusiasm about music and a skillful talent in playing piano.

Thirdly, to provoke the sentimental moods which conceal in one's bottom of heart is another crucial function of arts. Usually, everybody has the melancholy and sentimental moods in their inner heart as well as reasonable and logical minds in their external exhibition. As the former factors lurk in the heart for a long period of time, a person seems to be mechanized and loses his/her character as a living human being. They are music, painting, poem and photograph and other types of arts that explore our inner world which make us reflect on our sentimental facets, by which a person learn the relationship between individual and groups, between human beings and societies, between today and the pasts, from some more sentimental but delicate perspectives. All these functions have little to do with critics.

However, in the process of arts spreading their influence and experience their revolutionary changes, the critics play a crucial role and reveal the significant meaning of arts. First, as for an exquisite work of arts, few person can understand even a small piece of its essence. Without the introduction and interpretation, few masterpieces can be accepted by common people. A typical example is the works of Von Gogh, who created the most outstanding paintings during his suffered life and had not won a deserved reputation until his death. When the critics after him pay attention to his works, they were deeply touched by the intense sensations concealed in the gifted paintings and seem to will eject and tell the world the truth founded by Von Gogh. After that, numerous people aware the values of Van Gogh's paintings and he began to obtain a late reputation.

In sum, the arts are created by the artists, while the influences of arts are spread by the critics. Both of them have affirmative role in the progress of arts, and therefore neither of them should be stressed to the exclusion of each other.