What is profane? What is the standard? It is always a question. The standard of human being is always changing, including the mores and rules. That's one of the reasons why religion stands firm and is of great need. Bible-----the words of GOD, the origin of standards by which man should live----never change year after year. What changes is the interpretation of the words in which lies the standard. It's just like the amendments of American Constitution which is followed by amendments several other years with more detailed or different interpretation of the original.
Another question coming from the painting is what art is. Lots of my friends always jokes around art----something that you don’t know what it is or the purpose of it or something you cannot give a good reason for its being like that, you can always offer a good excuse by calling it art, like a rock lying on the ground, piles of messy paper, or even, piles of dung that is not specially shaped, like dirty things being worshiped and unorganized being considered beauty. Most of the time, anything placed in the museum, whether decent or indelicate, can be called art and the only reason you don’t find it appreciable or beautiful is that you lack the knowledge or you are not of good taste. For example, a nude appearing in the museum, like the famous David (Michelangelo), is art; however, unfairly, a naked showing up on the street or the subway, no matter how beautiful he poses himself, will be considered obscene (at least in China) and may be brought away by police and end up in detention under the name of “destroying the harmonious society”. Both images are on actually on display in the public and it’s very likely that both of them are eye-catching and will be stared at for long. The essence and nature, as far as I can see, makes no difference, but people react different. So I am thinking what conclusion can be drawn from the phenomenon: is art challenging the tradition or people have conscience of the standard of what to appreciate or not. In reality of cultural development, another interesting thing is a new term coined by people---Action Art of Performance Art----to comfort those on display but sometimes ignored being art.
Come back to the topic of art and religion. When art meets religion, whether the standard also the essence of art will be limited to fit in the religious standard? Does art have to record history? If art tries to record history, is it involuntarily turned into documentary rather than art? As I've touched in class, again, is Chris Offili' s Holy Virgin Mary still the Virgin Mary or not? Is the figure still the figure it should be when it's re-presented or dismantled? Now the question becomes even more philosophic, is the thing remaining the same thing if copied, moved or re-interpreted?
Well…..after the lengthy words, questions are not answered yet. Last thing, to satisfy the teacher, I have to answer the question rather than raise more. Honestly, as a Christian myself, I am not insulted or offended at all by the elephant-dung painting. The reason is not because I like the artistic dung, the idea or the painting, but rather, in my simple brain, that’s exactly what I expect of art, to paraphrase, that’s what I think art will one day turn out to be although it sometimes should not be. And also as a Christian, I would like to remain open-minded for the challenge of common belief from all-aspects because that’s also what human beings tend to be.
Well....to conclude, I still come up with nothing. I don’t know. After thinking and pondering, my limited mind with limited wisdom and knowledge cannot figure out any answer. The more I think, the more questions I find out. Well, why not take a cup of coffee and take the common action of the majority---Just let it be. I don’t know...Since nobody agrees with each other on the standard...I simply don't know what better idea I can think of or what better change I can make. Just to make a good essay? Is that all the reason and purpose that I ponder upon these complicated issues? If the answer is yes, then let it be and I won’t say whether it is the art that is flourishing or corrupting or the mind of human being is prospering or declining....Just let it be…and someday, I will know, or my son will know, or my grandson, or great-grandson, or great-great-grandson, or great-great-great-great…..grandson will know, if they still get chance to be born into this complicated earth……
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