Art, what art are we talking about when we throw this subject into the arena of liberal reflection? the art of estheticism, or that of egocentrism, or even that of sexual fetishisms. The list is long, the one thing that's for sure, there all play an active part in the art of living. It is for this reason I think it is important to be clear about the objectives when we enter this type of conversation, that is, if we're not to get bogged down in the diversity of the subject.
My efforts, in the vast domain of artistic expression are directed towards the in-depth origins of human nature. After all, what is art? if not an expression of our emotional experiences captured in time and space. Art has little or no place in a life where institutional imposition over shadows the substance of expression, the doors to intellectual manipulation opens here, neglecting the sincerity of heart for the more immediate acclamation in cultural recognition. It is understandable, with these perspectives in mind, that contemporary art struggles in the march lands of bewilderment, isolated from spectator and emptied of sense, hidden away in some sort of mystical prestige that only adequate intellectual minds can penetrate its secret alcoves. When the artist neglects who he should be talking to and addresses his discourse to an erected institution means that he has accepted the rules and regulations of that formation. Some where along the way the organic expression has been formed into a package that can be sold to a waiting market and only those that fit the stringent commercial criteria can be presented.
I have often wondered what prehistoric man had in his head while decorating his caves without religion or institutional philosophy to create momentum. One thing for sure is that prehistoric man perceived his world with a completely different set of values than those that we posses today. I imagine fear being the predominate factor of his existence, driving him to live in caves and in groups for security. In consequence, his position within the hierarchy of his environment naturally created beings adapted to the imposing situation. Therefore it is reasonable to consider our ancient ancestors to have been respectful and humble beings and not at all a savage, in contrast to his contemporaries whose who's lack of fear has developed into blatant arrogance.
The conquest of fear has always been at the root of mans desire to develop. His search for protection from the hidden dangers of existence developed within him the aggressive nature necessary to conquer. Desire and greed grew into this later with intellectual and social development giving us the panoramic of today's human nature.
Whatever emotions the human mind produces can be translated into expression. This notion excludes the commercialization of artistic expression, for that subject, is only a consequences of the expression and is not an innate generator of the expression its self. It could be said that today's artists exploit uniquely the commercial environment in there research to exist, dedicating their efforts to decorating society with emotional and intellectual decadence neglecting the innate expression of emotional instinct, which in turn contributes to the marginalizing of expression with flamboyant interventions that seem to do nothing other than provoke controversy.
A profound artistic expression mixed with imagination diversifies any subject matter into an incalculable variations of point of views. Born in the mind out of life, emotions ferment into potent expressions of human existence. The value of this expression is directly related to the sincerity of its conception. It is the work of the artist to delve into nature in his effort to discover the undistorted image of human nature. It is alas understandable however, knowing the difficulty of this personal engagement , that the sincerity of heart is not expressed ceding to the more accepted artistic pontifications.
We seem to be deprived of our capacity to appreciate these essential emotions. There is a sort of intellectual sectarianism going back as far as I can see to the renaissance with its glorification of the religious and cultural ideologies.
