What is the class? The Artist's Way. No, we are not using the book. Why not? I'm not really sure, I just wanted to teach this class differently.
Anyway, I thought that I would let one of you, yes you students, have the first word; via Maritain. Here is a thought from Jen G!! Thanks, Jen.
"Since the community needs art and artists, the community has certain duties toward them. Just as the writer must be responsible, so must the community.
In actual fact what the artist, the poet, the composer, the playwright expects from his fellowmen, as a normal condition of development for his own effort, is to be listened to, I mean intelligently, to get a response, I mean an active and generous one, to have them cooperate with him in this way, and to feel himself in a certain communion with them, instead of being confined, as happens so often nowadays, in an intellectual ghetto. 
This means that the primary duty of the human community toward art is to respect it and its spiritual dignity, and to be interested in its living process of creation and discovery. It is no more easy or arbitrary to judge a work of art than to judge a work of science or philosophy. A work of art conveys to us that spiritual treasure which is the artist's own singular truth, for the sake of which he risks everything and to which he must be heroically faithful. We should judge of it as the living vehicle of this hidden truth; and the first condition for such a judgment is a kind of previous consent to the intentions of the artist and to the creative perspectives in which he is placed. In judging of the artistic achievements of their contemporaries, people have a responsibility, both toward the artist and toward themselves, insofar as they need poetry and beauty. They should be aware of this responsibility."
Well, I hope that we will have more thoughts to share about life, spirituality and the vocation of the artist. Until then, go in peace and serve the Lord.
-Chelle
No comments:
Post a Comment