The Function of Art - Subramanian A

7/31/2019 The Function of Art - Subramanian A

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(From my book 68 dated 15/11/1996-22/11/1996)

It is time we took a fresh look at the function of art. The M F Hussein incidenthas compelled me to take a fresh angle on the function of art.

Any artist expresses his inner visions through the form of his art. A writer, a

poet expresses his inner world in the form of literature and poetry. All through

the human history, the function of true art and literature has been the

expression of heart, has been noble and lofty without being pretentious. Just as

the poet is the one who sees the infinite truth and beauty of life and things and

sings in their praise in their multifarious ephemeral manifestations, so too the

artist sees the eternal beauty and truth and reveals in his work their myriad

expressions in the world of transience. It is his special gift, just as it is the poets

to lend to his representations of finite and temporal life and things a touch of

the infinite and the immortal.


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Emerson says that beauty is an invitation to what is within us. It is this beauty

and not the ugly in us which the artist endeavors to portray through his art

and through it, evoke in the public at large the awareness and the appreciation

of that beauty. For arts function, consciously or unconsciously, directly or

indirectly, has been to purify, chasten and exalt our unregenerate passions and

instincts through the revelation of beauty within us and in Nature. And since

beauty is delight and harmony, true art cannot but heighten and deepen those

attributes of Reality within us and without.

When an artist fails to perform this, he fails in his task. But who will judge an

artist? The artist may be true and sincere from his own angle but if the world

feels otherwise about him, what else can happen other than a cold or open war

between the society and the artist?

Beyond the expression of inner beauty and truth of the artist, art in itself is a

medium of communication. The artist, during his height of creation is

communicating with his creation. When he finishes his work and presents his

creation before the world, he is communicating with the world. He is conveying

something to the world through his work. The artist speaks to the worldthrough forms, images, lines and colors whereas a writer or poet communicates

with the world through symbols, imageries, words, plots and characters.

So, all the basic concepts of communication are equally applicable to all forms

of art and literature from this angle. In communication, there is the giver and

the receiver concept. One speaks while the other listens. One dances while the

other watches. One presents while the other observes and contemplates.

Then, the reaction comes. It may be an act of response. It may be an act ofmaturity or immaturity. In short, in the giver-receiver concept of

communication, two mental planes are at work. The giver has a field of

experience. The receiver too has a field of experience. So, communication is a

one to one activity. It is a communion of two spheres, two fields of experience,

two mental planes in interaction. Ideas are flowing from one plane. Reactions


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and responses follow from the other plane in the form of thoughts and

reflections, in the form of ideas and interpretations.

An artist may be at a higher plane. The people, the society may be at a lower

plane. This can mislead things. Vice-versa also can happen. An artist may be

standing at a lower plane of mind than the plane of society or people. One

cannot take for granted that an artist is always standing at a higher plane than

the society or people. It is a false notion.

An artist or a writer may mean one thing but people may take it in a different

sense. It leads to a cross communication. What is the solution to avoid such a

cross communication? An artist, writer, a poet uses so many assumptions,

presumptions, images and symbolism in his work. In other words, he has set a

tone of his mind in his work. He has thrown his thoughts and feelings into his

work. He has meant something to convey to his audience.

People receive this mental plane of the artist the creator at their conscious,

intellectual level. It is something like two mental planes in interaction one

that of the artist and the other, that of the audience. Unless the artist makes

his intentions clear in his work without any doubt, the audience is given amental task, an intellectual task in making the conclusions.

So, the artist has to be clear and sincere in his approach. He should make clear

of his intentions. He should not leave any element of doubt or confusion upon

the heart of people. Clarity of theme, clarity of presentation is the primary duty

of any artiste. He can use simple images and symbols. It should convey directly

to the heart of people. People should be able to understand the theme. They

should be able to enjoy and experience the theme.

So, any art work has two planes about it. One is the intellectual plane. The

other is the level of the heart or the plane of aesthetics. Finally, everything

reduces to the level of heart or head or both according to our view. Any art

work should appeal our heart. It should speak our language. It should elevate


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our spirits to the values and virtues of life. This is the fulfillment of any

discipline of art. If art was only an intellectual circus, then, it is better that we

read Theory of Relativity than listened to a nightingale. Even The Theory of

Relativity could be learnt but it a sad tale that todays so called Modern Art and

Post Modernism in literature stand beyond the scope of our ordinary

intelligence and reason. We really sweat in the interpretation of the works

coming under these categories.

Any art work should be self-explanatory. Whatever is there in the art work

should carry its weight directly to the hearts of people. To achieve this, the

artist, poet or the writer should convey his intentions in a well-knit manner

through his work. There should not be any sort of communication gap between

the brush and the eyes of people; between the pen and the mind of the readers.

The function of art presupposes that an artist should not forget certain

traditional, social values. People are free to follow their tradition, religion, faith

and belief. Any society has its own evolutionary principles about life. An artist

is free to present his innovative ideas but these ideas should not be against life

giving principles. No artist is given a license to present his wayward views

under the pretext of artistic freedom. There are certain areas that we must nottouch in the life giving principles. If an artist claims that he has the freedom of

expression, then, the society also can easily claim that it has the freedom to

check such freedom of expression. This is also true. No artist can overlook the

tone of the society before whom he is placing his work. If he overlooks, then,

disaster is awaiting him. If the motivation, intention, of the artist is one of

selflessness and impartiality and only aimed at the betterment of mankind,

aimed at the co-existence of people and not aimed at challenging something in

which he doesnt believe, such a freedom of expression will be eventuallyaccepted by the world. Otherwise, he will be eventually challenged. This is one

of the principles of life.

An artist may have deviated from the common denomination of using symbols

to represent an idea. People have their own general sense about images and


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symbols. It is intricately woven with our tradition, belief, faith, social percepts,

our sense of value of life and above all, our experience. It is a simple, yet, a

complex factor. It is while we present an idea, a concept by way of symbolism

that we often cross-communicate since symbols may have different meanings

under different contexts. Unless the intention of the artist is clear, the context

becomes just like a fog to the experiencer. It leads to misinterpretation of

symbols or images. It may finally end even in a controversy.

Unfortunately, both the artist and the people around him are not so sensible

even though both may claim that they are. In all probability, todays artist is

more of an outlaw than a feeler of humanity. He is under the guise that

employments of modern techniques in art also mean toppling the general belief

of people. This is not revolution. Human belief goes beyond reason. Any

immoral act should be revealed and offended and an artist is free to do that but

it is not at all his duty or right to offend against simple faith and belief of

common people.

Why did MF Hussein draw a nude picture of one of the Hindu gods? What was

his intention? Why did he go against a popular belief? If he would say that he

has the freedom of expression, others also have the same freedom of expressionto draw the nude pictures of his wife or daughter and say that they too cannot

be questioned on grounds of freedom of expression. Will M F Husain settle for

that?

Today, artists handle the theme of nudity with a variety of explanations. We

are forced to believe their words because the society has classified them under

celebrities. Today, the society has no hard and fast rules about anything if

you open the e-mail pages, you can find Hot pictures, for example - and thisalso get reflected in art and literature (Man is merchandising nudity and sex).

Actually, a loose society serves as a platform for any artist to escape with any

kind of explanation for his craft work. Todays artist is trying to bring about a

revolution by way of perverted ideas. It wont pay any dividends other than


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creating a temporary sensation. One may get some supporters to the theory of

post modernism at present but it wont be the same as always.

Remember, any artist of any discipline is ultimately a social being since he is

part of a society. He cannot stand apart from the rest of humanity. Being a

social creature, an artist has got a commitment towards society. No artist can

escape from this framework.

Now, what is the aim of any social commitment? The aim is to bring in peace

and harmony in the world by the presentation of an idea using brush or pen and

not to bring divided thoughts among the people. One can really be a

revolutionist by showing higher planes of truth not at the cost of the general

beliefs and notions of life.

Remember, truth is always simple. The expression of truth need not be by way

of an intellectual brain storm. Giant trees may withstand storms but storms are

really unfavorable for the growth of the garden of life.

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The Function of Art - Subramanian A