[April作文互助小组]Issue144 第四周作业

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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: 775          TIME: 00:45:00          DATE: 2008-4-7 15:53:57

As the speaker asserts, lasting values are acquired more often from artist rather than critics. Admittedly, critics play a certain role in disinterring profound artistic arts and render the values behind these works to populace, making them prevailing. On balance, I agree with the author's contention considering the very notion of "lasting value" and what arts bring for us.

It is no doubt that originality is one of the primary factors in one artistic work. Without masterpiece created by artists with deep thoughts and experienced skills, it is ridiculer to emphasize the importance of critics, for there is just nothing for them to discover, to criticize and even to prompt. Various forms of arts provide incarnations for values behind them, that is to say, works are the medium for which lasting values exist. Without the mundane medium, it is no sense to discuss the so- called lasting values, since they are not extant. Take beauty for example, one that many would insist, is the very hallmark of what is truly "arts". The primary goal of art is to provide people with permanent beauty, one of the lasting values offered by arts. Certain arrangements of color and movements satisfy us over a long period of time, like the ballet Swan Lake, which can not be produced by critics.

Another charm of art attracting so many people lies in its in imitation, which is also one of the indispensable factors required by truly arts. Think about paintings about Mona Lisa created by Leonardo da Vinci which obtain praises of many people both ones living in the contemporary world and people after. Why people are so obsessed with the smile about that woman in the paintings? It is no doubt that the smile is indeed so beautiful and even possesses a mystery strength rendering it so taking. Another significant reason attributed to the success of this painting is about its unique feat. All in all, only one painting about woman with that special smile expressing feint joy mixed with mourns exist in the long history. Imagining the scene that a myriad of "Mona lisas" appear in large amount of works, all with nearly same smile, what is your feeling? Similarly, specific trait also accounts for famous music, such as Beethoven's symphony, which is the last word on human endurance. Thing which is deer is unique. The world will become dreary and dull if every work can be sorted as some kind sharing common with others. This value behind artistic works can only produced by creative artists. In this point view, contributions made by artists are much more than critics.

Before times of Renaissance, functions of arts are to provide entertainment for populace, or rather for those showing potent or aristocrat, bring beauty and use as a tool for instruction, but now values behind artistic works adds ---- to express the workers' private views together with invocating people under dramatically changes in one nation. From this stand, lasting values interring in the works are about the profound and deep thoughts about artists themselves and as files representative of certain conditions in particular historical events. One renaissance painting of a Madonna and a child for instance, is somehow a revelation of transcendent spiritually. Honoree Daumier, a French artist, using his pencils and paintings to protest political oppressions, therefore, his paintings provide us with information of political conditions that time and the thoughts out of step by the painters as well. Any of these values having enduring impact on people's lives and the development of society can hardly be produced by critics.

I concede that critics do play certain role in prompting development of arts. Like commodities and advertisement, some kind of good products made known to public by attracting advertisement sell well. Not everyone have a deep and unique understanding about truly artistic works, and thus critics act as media between populace and arts, rendering masterpiece in front of common people. However, most times critics do impede the prosperity of arts, since no critics can be absolutely objective, more often mixing with procedures and tendency of critics themselves. One said that actually we inter more talents than who we discover. What is more, sometimes, critics about arts serve as tools for the sake of political reasons.

I fundamentally consent with the author's contention that lasting values are more often given by artists rather than critics. Though critics do have certain effect prompting the development of arts and people's recognition of those lasting values behind, however, considering about the nature of arts, the very meaning of lasting values and the connection between them, it is artists who make great contributions to produce lasting values.