Reflections on Art
A new definition and application methods
If you enjoy this piece, feel free to 💬,❤️ or 🔄 so more people can find it!
For many, and for much of my life, art was something that lived in the distance, in a wing of some great museum or on the stage of a concert hall. Similarly, artists seemed estranged and far out, men obsessed with the reflections of water or crazed enough to cut off their ears. There was a separation between the world of the common man and the world of an artist, between daily life and art.
Fernand Léger, Les Plongeurs (The Divers), 1943
According to Merriam-Webster, art is defined as “skill acquired by experience, study, or observation” and “the conscious use of skill and creative imagination especially in the production of aesthetic objects.” These definitions create a sort of remoteness to the entire experience, making art seem like something removed from everyday life.
In my twenties, I spent a lot of time in pursuit of art, whether at the predominant museum of wherever I was visiting or at a music venue. One memorable night at The Bomb Factory in Dallas, I watched Father John Misty swing the microphone like a lasso and lay on his back while singing the dramatic portions of his songs. I would leave these places inspired, perhaps by Alberto Giacometti’s obsession with the female form, Tom Sachs’ view that the Japanese tea ceremony was mankind’s highest human expression, or the raw energy of live performances.
These experiences, and others, with art planted the seeds for a new personal definition: art is anything that inspires people to live their lives more fully. This is what I experienced at the Prado Museum in Madrid or The Wiltern Theater in Los Angeles or watching one of Bruno Mars' Super Bowl performances (the one in 20214 where he started on the drums).
This new definition of art opens up a world of possibilities. Maybe art and the role of the artist are not so far out. At each moment, we have a chance to be someone that creates art, something that inspires us and others to live life more fully. It could be in the things you do, the way you do them, or the way you treat people. There is an opportunity for art, something more than ordinary, in how we choose to express ourselves at work and in relationships. I often feel this way when I go to a great meal, where the combination of the company, atmosphere, food, drinks, and service reminds me of how much beauty there is in people and experiences.
And like any artistic process, it isn’t always sexy or fun. Sometimes it’s in the simple, mundane, or challenging. A mindful breath of presence. A simple cup of coffee. A thoughtful question, affirmation, or gift for or from a friend. The painstaking process to cultivate greater patience or compassion to allow us to show up the way we want to for other people. Sticking with something, regardless of what you signed up for in business, relationships, creative expressions, or physical fitness pursuits. The loss of a loved one that serves as a wake-up call or reality check. There is an element to the experience of inspiration that, with some awareness, might help us have more appreciation for the different shapes, flavors, and rhythms of art.
There is an opportunity for artistic expression and appreciation in every moment, an opportunity to inspire yourself or others to live life more fully. Whatever you do, make it art.