What is art, if not to evoke emotion?

Art has played many roles across history; a measure of social status, a banker’s investment, a reflection of the nouveau riche’s ambitious egos, building façades, my mother’s hobby, urban renewal, and many a struggling student’s preoccupation. Art of all forms, stripes, and means also serves an important psychological function, it is there to arouse emotion and thought, as well as mirror the human condition, be it social or individual.

Lisbon, Portugal. Urban art, anonymous (Photo taken by author).

On a recent trip to Portugal, I encountered much to my delight and surprise, impromptu expressions of urban space reclamations and hope through bursts of color, frenergetic (art provokes new vocabulary too!) paint brushings and markings, and vivacious, unorderly designs. One would have expected this individual to have plied this art quickly, masterfully, as if to say, “Ha! The happy live here!” It’s the messiness of life that we all want to see.

On another street corner: “Boo! ~ The day has begun.” Art evokes a sense of playfulness and wonder; it also prompts the question: who made this and more importantly, why? A random bet? Lack of sleep? An afternoon’s Frisbee game that ended with a lizard attack? Those who make art and their motivations are just as mysterious. The questions intuited would have been lost in the face of a plain wall. Art must be everywhere.

Lisbon, Portugal. Urban art, anonymous (Photo taken by author).

Beyond emotion and thought, art reflects the ordinary, ridiculous and banal. We see images of a woman sitting, looking out the window. Nothing stirs, we feel what she feels. But, why does nothing stir? We know what she feels, art reflects our common emotional states which we recognize and to which we respond. Some are tragic and we are drawn to certain representations; our heart weighs heavy, our face reddens, the body warms, eyes prick and noses quiver and drip; that is me there.

That Is Me. There. Our suffering is not so unique after all. 

The same woman looking out the window, stealing a mischievous glance makes us smile. We wonder why; we recognize the deviousness. We’ve all been a little naughty of sorts. The 18th century farm maiden and I have much in common. Life is to be experienced, both the deep sorrows and light escapades.

And then, awkwardness. You laugh at yourself as you try to look important, and stand proud in the hopes others won’t notice. Life is nothing short of embarrassing and dogs help so little.

Ljubljana, Slovenia. (Photo taken by author).

Art is so powerful in evoking and reflecting the human condition, a number of art forms have evolved from this premise. Museopathy takes an interesting detour: enlightenment seekers hold, stroke, smell, and inspect museum objects and the odd pieces of art, asking who held this spoon so long ago? Why was it found in fire ashes? And this stained tapisserie, exotically in blue and of nothing but owls? Who was inspired to go against prevailing social norms; more importantly, who was brave enough to buy it and was it destined for the barn after all?

We can make much sense of our own lives through the lives of others. Art makes this easier and avoids the need to share, lose face, and feel shame. There is much to be learned and felt from art; that is its purpose, to document and expose unconcealed joy, overwhelming sadness, tentative curiosity, unrestrained optimism and human insecurity, all with the aim of reassuring viewers that what they feel is shared by all. Like an unpredictable friend, art is sure to teach and challenge. Like an unknown community, it is also there to share and state its identity and priorities, greeting you in exchange. It is unfortunate that art is often positioned as an interest of the elites; it reveals the most intimate secrets of us all.  

What are your thoughts on the role of art?