Ozge Pinar Mokukcu 2054930

The concept of Art by J. Winterson

In this set of materials, it is given that art is one of the essential human needs,
which provides us the tool for expressing our emotions and enlighten us on our
way to the spiritual goals, like the purpose that we aim.

According to Winterson art is a natural approach of life that grows and spreads
within a perfect balance for human needs. She carefully pointed out that art has
its own unique way of flexible functioning in society, hence it is neither certain
as science nor vague as religion. She had supported this idea by explaining a
metaphorical “kit of life” that contains: the cup, the knife, the coat and the
remedy. Thus, she explains the function of art in a society.

The analogy of art and a cup, explains that art could be the most objective
historian who gives us the opportunity, to observe and to witness past and
future, almost timelessly, with the facts and emotions experienced by someone
else. If we think of life as a flowing river which collects and carries all the past
experiences along the way; to avoid the fast consuming and loss of precious
information, we could build a dam. Therefore an individual, who had been
experiencing the flow of the river, would reflect this preserved experiences and
observations through his/her own perception. For instance, if we view a painting
of Vermeer or Picasso we could discover some information that is neither
written in a book nor displayed in a museum. These paintings provides us our
personal experience that doesn’t only connects us as observers but also as
individuals, fed up with new unique facts, recorded by memories of beautiful
minds.

Over the years we have been influenced and almost brainwashed by the popular
culture, which is supported by the instruments of politics such as television. Pop
culture, is an entertainment form which can’t differentiate what is necessary or
not, but tells us what to do. However, human nature is not programmed for
taking instructions but have the need for getting reminded. Thus, art provides
this need by collecting spiritual and emotional realities and offering them in a
cup, which avoids the “noise” of popular culture.

The second metaphor is “the knife”, which represents the sharp naked truth
beneath arts. Art is almost like an infant or a child who hasn’t lost his/her
awareness to simple beauty without any social or cultural judgments or
prejudices. Art has the power to make us concentrate on the true nature of life,
other than the lies or clichés. We are in an era of knowledge, although it has the
negative effects as much as the benefits. The good and the bad is in the same
package in that sense. For instance, when we use internet for some information,
there would be millions of results of web sites, blogs etc. However, it doesn’t
mean it’s the healthiest information that we can provide. We do believe things
we see, but it could be all a delusion when we think about technology, such as
editing the data in to something else that would attract more people but provide
only lies.

The third is “the coat” that we began to sew by reading a book, or going to an art
gallery. It would be thicker and stronger and become a shelter, which covers us
in the darkest situations, against ignorance or bad politics. Art help us build up a
strong personality, and gives us freedom and new ideals and opportunities. It
widens up our perspectives and breaks our chains and helps us to discover the
basics that would help us to fight against hostile elements. Also the writer added
that, if war is the worst of humanity, art should be the best. With the data, we
provide with popular culture it’s not likely to have a strong coat. Therefore, it’s
a good idea to give the value to the arts, and build it up so that we can believe in
ourselves, to be able to defend against bad influences.

Fourth and the last Winterson said, art is like a “remedy” that might heal the
world from bad politics and capitalism. The modern life imposes its own
sanctions such as war, but we should question if this is the real thing we want?
She uses the D. Hirst’s very famous work, “The Physical Impossibility of Death
in the Mind of Someone Living” which is exactly a huge cage with a shark in
formaldehyde in it, to point out how politics works in real practical world.
Although a big shark was sitting in the middle of the room they have been
taking decisions about countries future and people’s life’s at the White House or
European Union. The writer, believes even though art is not a solution to all
these problems, it would be the remedy.

She points out to how it could have been done, and makes a quote from the
Treaty of Utrecht,” which says "about you, in your country, without you.” in
original. However she believes that it should be reformed as “about us, in our
country, along with us” with the influence of arts that unites the communities.
Since “art” is more likely the only healthy organism that would function.

In my opinion, art is an act and a practice of creation influenced by nature, not

only by the environment we are surrounded by, but also the nature of human
behavior and culture. However, it is essential to keep in mind that it is a
profession that requires a certain care, influence, experimenting and practice
time. Art should ask questions, and answer some also should be flexible and
don’t be judgmental about what is good or bad, or right or wrong.

The materials that are being used to form an art piece is also shouldn’t be an
issue to judge, unless it is against Human rights etc...

For instance, no matter you use some electronic device to perform a piece or a
symphony orchestra it is going to be the same piece. The variety of the musical
styles, instruments or the communities or the movements should be granted as
new values that provide us more sources to work on and enjoy.

Art is the very primal way of expression, and questioning and exploring. It is
almost an instinct that has been carrying the past and merging with the future
generations over the centuries. I believe, it has a strong function in the social
life, even though people are not aware.

In my country, Turkey, at the first years of the young republic too many
revolutions had been made. In 1930’s, they have banned some forms of
traditional Turkish music from the national radios hoping that people would
listen to western music. However, the citizens were looking forward to hear
some form of music that is familiar to them. Meanwhile, they have figured that
they can listen to Arabic traditional music which has a similar harmony with
Turkish folk music, through Arabic radios.

The banning of the traditional Turkish music was such a horrible idea; the
politicians of time came to their senses in eight months and removed the ban.
Although there was already a new kind of Turkish music that is developing,
influenced by the music they have heard from the Arabic radios, called the
“arabesque”.
 This new music form was created just in eight months, just to be able to express
them in the way that they enjoy. It occurs to me no matter how hard you try you
cannot change the free will of a social community. Culture is very fragile,
because it represents all the generations and reflects every individuals
expressions and experiments one by one but also in harmony and unity. Also, I
believe art has strong connections with culture which directly functions in the
society.

Nowadays, there are big discussions going on about the “art” and “popular
culture” .Most of the artists and intellectuals claim that pop culture is rubbish
and shouldn’t be even considered as an entertaining form.

When I consider both ideas, I can simply tell that, this kind of discussions about
popular or underground cultures; banning or denigration or illegalization of art
and art forms are, just driving social balances other way around.

Therefore, to be able to visualize a future of art we should be building it up on a

strong foundation. The previous centuries were the golden age of arts, unless we
find our way through our virtual fake life’s… I can’t predict a bright future for
art forms.

I believe, in so many levels technology takes as much time as it provides. For

instance, it is so very easy to travel nowadays; we can even play at two countries
on the very same day. However, we also spend so many time on social networks
etc., unfortunately we lose the time we gain in a blink of an eye.

I really think the concept of “entertainment” and “art”, ”entertainer” and “artist”
should be classified but shouldn’t be judged. Since, we had already discussed at
our lectures as well, beauty is a subjective element like good or bad. I can see
that U2 or Madonna or Mac Donald’s or countless T.V shows and characters has
an immense influence on the culture, which feeds the popular culture. Although,
I don’t think popular means rubbish, I wouldn’t agree with any kind of concept
where Lady Gaga is an “artist”.

I would definetly appreciate Penderecky’s music or respect J. Cage, on the other

hand I can’t think of a music played by an orchestra sitting and just controlling
some screens all together in future . Interesting or different could be nice or
great but there is also a risk of making no sense.
To sum up, arts should be taken care of, and well respected. I believe, it’s the
essence of the comunity and also the best fortune teller of social and political
changes.