Making sense of it all
What is the point of art? Or perhaps from my perspective, what is the point of art education? According to Lord Browne ‘A degree is of benefit both to the holder, through higher levels of social contribution and higher lifetime earnings, and to the nation, through higher economic growth rates and the improved health of society.’ I am sure he believes this and the inclusion of the recognition that it is about more than economics is critical. I was puzzled therefore when he declined to criticise the way the Government has taken his review and used it to support cuts in funding for arts education when I asked him about it at a meeting in Sheffield last week. As an economist by training, I am not going to deny that economic realities are important. But as Richard Layard and others have pointed out national income has doubled in the richer countries of the world with no appreciable increase in happiness. Put simply, once we have satisfied basic needs, other things loom more important.
Other things like our family relationships and our sense of purpose. Nigel Howarth’s work featured in this post addresses his thoughts and feelings about childlessness, vain attempts at conception, and the race against the biological clock. It is not scientific research, he is not looking for a cure but he is looking for an understanding, a way of making sense.
The work is challenging, highly personal and yet speaks to all of us and is, arguably above all, beautiful. For me, a clear influence was in the use of fruit as a metaphor for the transcience of life as seen in works such as Caravaggio’s Supper at Emmaus where the fruit is not only aging but teetering on the edge of the table.
For Clive White, the reference was more contemporary, to the work of Francois Gillet with his Femmes, Fleurs, Fruits et Légumes series.
21 thoughts on “Making sense of it all”
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One of the aspects of the work that particularly impressed me was that he’s taken this genre, exemplified by Caravaggio in paint, as Gareth references, and Francois Gillet in photography, which in some senses could be viewed as completed, and reinvigorated it as a carrier for a very personal, contemporary, theme that transcends its formal beauty and adds to the genre.
On your other points Gareth it always concerns me how these things are accounted for. Are the true benefits ever properly calculated in overall fiscal terms.
I seem to remember that Ken Livingston’s Fares Fair policy was over turned by one borough on the basis that they didn’t have a tube station so it wasn’t fair.
There didn’t seem to be any consideration of the fact that there could still be economic benefits to the people of the borough even if they didn’t have a tube station. They still moved around the whole of London like everyone else and less traffic on the roads would impact on the delivery of goods and services.
The educational retrenchment taking place seems to me to be predicated on an out dated model that was in place ‘when we were at school’; Art as a peripheral subject that only a very few talented ne’er-do-well misfits indulged in at G.C.E. level.
I note that art as a subject is not going to be part of the English Baccalaureate, ironic considering that Mr Gove used to be a critic on Newsnight Review, especially in the light of creativity being one of our service economy’s biggest exports.
Prejudice and ignorance seem to be the driving forces not competent economics.
Fascinating work by Nigel – very compelling, and indeed beautiful.
I like this very much. The imagery is unusual, dramatic and flowing. Then on reading the narrative you’re enticed to look further at it. Very nice work indeed.
“What is the point of art?….Does it have to have one I wonder? Nigel’s photographs are beautiful and looking at them gives us great pleasure. Yes, they are visual metaphors, but before we get down to that level we first have to be visually stimulated. And Nigel’s images are certainly visually appealing.
What is art if not self-expression? Nigel is expressing himself with his photographs. And he knows they have to be visually stimulating for the communication process – catalysed by those visual metaphors – to take place.
Back to the question “What is the point of art?”, for me the point of art is to exist as a vehicle for self-expression. And art education equips students with the skills necessary to do precisely that.
‘point of art is to exist as a vehicle for self-expression. And art education equips students with the skills necessary to do precisely that’
Seconded; with an emphasis on ‘self’.
Very good Nigel.
Was thinking about situation at work and whether or not I’d make an image of how I feel at the moment – long lines of desks with robotic beings dressed the same with this big figure lording over them and no way of knowing yet if it will be any different.
Well done for actually making a piece of art.
I was watching or listening to an interview with, I think, Grayson Perry recently and he was rubbishing the idea of self expression!…(ducks for cover!)
Yes, apart from the fact that his work is stuffed to the gills with autobiography ‘ }
…and opinion.
I am not sure whether it was Perry but I think the point was more to do with the idea of fine art as a means of exploration than statement and equating self-expression with the sort of less than edifying self indulgence that is often produced by the less talented in its name. I also seem to remember that he was defending the cause of craft in fine art. As some of my college students might say, “controversial…much!” 🙂
Ah, I think I know the exposition you mean. I normally find myself nodding my head along with him, as I did so re craft, and enjoy his work, so I was rather taken aback that he should have made a blanket denial of self expression.
If cross dressing isn’t self expression then I don’t know what it is!
“controversial…much!” Hahahaha
May I make a basic, non-artistic comment? EVERYONE needs the ability to be creative, no matter to what degree of success. To be creative is, as already indicated, an expression of self, therefore no image is strictly ‘right’ or ‘wrong’. The ability to be creative is essential for one’s mental wellbeing and as such should be a vital element in the curriculum. It is also possible that one is able to be creative without necessarily being able to explain the whys and wherfores. Education should not be solely concerned with academic achievement but should take into account the health of its recipients. I am old enough to remember that the provision of education included the provision for general well-being – we were encouraged to be ourselves, not to become replicated robots incapable of being individuals. We were encouraged to take pride in ourselves and our achievements, no matter how high or low these may have been, and we were encouraged to take a pride in our community and its environs. We were encouraged to have some self-discipline, but we were still encouraged to know ourselves and to be ourselves whilst considering our responsibilities to others. It is vitally important that all forms of expressive creativity be included in the curriculum, and the facilities be available beyond schooldays. The sad thing is that there are politicians who are creative, but not in the ways we understand the word. If my sarcasm offends, I apologise for the offence, not for the remark!
It is not sufficient to rely on parents and guardians to provide creative stimulus for the young,
we should take every opportunity to press for the inclusion of art, music, drama and creative writing in schools. I recall a colleague, many years ago, when speaking to a pupil who wanted to study two subjects but had to chose only one, saying ‘never mind, you can always do it at nightschool when you are older’. Although the work of OCA is valuable and much appreciated, if young people need to wait until they have ‘left school’ in order to be ‘creative’ it is too late.
Interesting. Would I hang one on my living room wall – no.
I do not get this. What is it all about?
Yes – Nigel’s work is beautiful and I feel very moved by it. Thanks for bringing it to my attention Gareth.
I’m continually astonished by the talent and creativity shown by OCA students. My working world was about trying to help to repair broken lives and written words were usually only in reports. Photography is a new means of expression for me and writing in a blog has enabled me to use words in a different way. I think that the work OCA is doing, often with mature students, is an essential means for us to connect with our creativity – whatever form it takes. I don’t believe that it is too late if you have to wait until you have ‘left school’.
Thanks for all the comments folks.
On the subject of self expression, the work represents thoughts and feelings I would have had great difficulty expressing in words. The process of making the images and submitting them took me well out of my comfort zone; I’ve expressed things I would never have ‘told’ someone. Self indulgent? Certainly. Would I hang the work on my wall? Probably not, that wasn’t the objective.
On the arts education debate, surely it is a healthy thing for creativity to be encouraged in our schools, different methods of self expression to be fostered? Not everyone shines in the science lab, the maths room, or the football field.
By denying young people access to an area they could do well in, they are being denied a vehicle for success and achievement, along with all the other added value as outlined by Norma in her post.I found an outlet for my thoughts and feelings in this work and found the experience quite cathartic. Surely this is something we should be encouraging from an early age?
‘I found an outlet for my thoughts and feelings in this work and found the experience quite cathartic. Surely this is something we should be encouraging from an early age?’
I couldn’t agree more Nigel. I fear we have lost something important by focusing on very narrow definitions of schools’ ‘performance’
I totally agree but I have a very old fashioned (but I think right!) view of education and even schooling as something to develop the potential of the person, not state funded job training.
I couldn’t agree more Peter, and that is where I think education, paricularly in the 16-18 yr old sector where I work, is going wrong.
I found Nigel Haworth’s interpretations mentally refreshing and rejuvenating (I need it at my age!)and the comments on it are stimulating to degree. I have sung in choirs with ages between 50 and 80 and in other choirs between 18 and 80. The difference in sound is extraordinarily obvious. The younger voices introduce a vibrance in sound which gives the choir a more exciting and positive contact with the audience. The size and range of students cognitive ambitions gives the OCA students the opportunity for a range of tutors’ experience and to share the their views with a vast number of other students.
As a tutor I see the work of many students and I applaud Nigel’s images as an example for others to try to become more inventive. Many of the images that I examine for assignments are of technically good quality and safely interpret the requirements of the assignment brief. Art provides the opportunity for self expression in visual terms (In the case of photography) I would like to see more work in which students explore the limits of their imagination in the interpretation of the assignments by more adventurous submissions. If the student strays too far from the assignment brief, the tutor will pick out the flaw. Students should note that the assessment criteria now includes Invention.