Blog Everyday in May: Art History

First off I would like to say that I am writing most of this post on my iPhone. I have a two hour break between classes, I have forgotten my laptop and my kindle is dead, so here we are. Today is day two of the Blog Everyday in May Challenge and the prompt is to write about something you know a lot about. I know a lot about very few things in life but one thing I kind of have to know about is art history. Art history is my major. Majoring in a subject is weird, you have to pay to dedicate 4+ years to learning about a topic of your choice. Most people chose to major in something that will gain the approval of the average society member and potentially earn them a steady income. I on the other had have no interest in pleasing my conservative family so I switched my major to art with an emphasis in art history.

San Francisco 09 visiting the art in Golden Gate Park. Clearly excited.

When I tell people my major I almost always get a confused or condescending look followed by the question, "So, what do you plan to do with that?" It's really not a question though if you have already decided in your mind that my degree will be useless. I have started surprising people by answering with exactly what they are thinking, "I'll probably just work at Starbucks." Now, I do not plan to work at Starbucks all my life, but seeing the look on their face when I say that is priceless.

However, I digress. I am going to write about three things you should know about art as a beginning art historian or appreciator of art. I am just an undergraduate so I would not say that my knowledge is extensive on the subject but in my opinion these three things are essential to understand when studying art.

The first thing you need to know about art is that it is universal. Every culture in every time period creates or created art. Making art is an innate human ability; it is a common thread everyone shares. I am willing to bet that every single one of you had some type of drive to create art at a young age. If a child is give a crayon and a piece of paper he will draw something on that paper, art. There are only a select few of us that continue to expand on this artistic ability but it lies in all of us.  For this reason, art is important.  Unfortunately, many people do not see it that way; many parents see their children experimenting with art the same as experimenting with hard core drugs.  This general disregard for art is a phenomenon that is definitely apparent in the United States.  Most other countries have a cabinet-level official in charge of the arts and culture, we do not.  Most other countries hold art and culture to be much more important and I think a huge part of that is because it is so universal.  Realizing that about art makes you appreciate it a little bit more.

The second thing you need to know about art is that it is subjective.  This is obvious, I am sure everyone could have guessed that there is not really a right or a wrong to art.  It is not math or biology, it is not black and white.  Although it is obvious, it is important to realize and accept before criticizing a piece or really learning anything about art and its history.

The third thing I think is important to know and accept is that art is fucking weird.  People often say they do not like a certain type of art because it is "weird."  They say, "I don't get how that's art!"  You probably don't get how it's art because you just don't get it period.  Before you say that you do not like something, learn about it.  You cannot dislike something you know nothing about.  The fact is that even if you study it and appreciate a piece for what it is, it's still pretty weird.  I think it's great that art is weird.  You need to remember that the people making art were usually that weird kid in the back of the classroom that sculpted things out of the deformed crayons and he probably had a pet snake or something.  Again, I think that's great; let your freak flag fly.  Basically what I am trying to say is, educate yourself about a piece or a movement before your criticize it, it's not gonna make a blob of animal fat on display, or Yoko Ono letting an audience member cut off her clothing any less weird but you're also not gonna sound like an idiot when you talk about it.  The fact is that art reflects religious, social, and philosophical issues so there IS more to them than you think. There IS a point.

I hope you learned something or at least were slightly amused for the few minutes it took you to read this.  Now anytime I say that I have been busy with school just know that this is what I am doing...

or this..

or this..