As part of a visual arts display for last night's church service, I created an origami diorama. I use the terms "created" and "diorama" very loosely - I looked up a couple of patterns, folded them hastily and arranged them without much care. I was unable to work my vision in paper, so I decided I probably didn't want my name on it. When I delivered it to the church and saw the rest of the displays, my mind was made up. Amongst carefully-wrought floral arrangements, detailed paintings and a tiny silk gown sat my Amazon delivery box spray-painted green with quite simple origami models inside. I did not want to stand out against that background as the one found in the rubbish.
When I got to the service in the evening, I saw that someone had decided I needed to be identified with my "art". That made me so mad that I was about to rip the name off and probably throw the whole display in the bin for good measure. There were two good reasons I wanted my name off that piece. The first I have already expounded. The second is this: I did not want anyone looking at it and thinking about me, whether positive or negative, because that's not why we were supposed to make these displays.
In the end, I left the name on there. I don't know why, so I'm not about to try to explain. When I got my chance, I took that thing outside and tossed it in the boot of the car, lest it offend anyone else with its grotesque visage and mockery of decent craft.
Mokalus of Borg
PS - It will join the city's recycling program now.
PPS - So that it may serve at least some good purpose.
3 comments:
Art is subjective.
You and I are similar in a lot of ways. I too can never quite get my vision to work out in art, so I get fed up and throw it away, never let anyone see what it is that I've created.
But something that I've learned over time - and never more than last night, is that art is subjective. When I saw your diorama (Diorama-rama!) last night, never for a second did any of the things that you've expressed crossed my mind. What I thought was - I would never have thought of something like that. I got the sense of what the world is like for God - something that he made. Not out of paper but ... I don't know. Yours was one of the only things that really got me thinking about the nature of God.
Don't worry that your 'vision' didn't come across, because GOD'S vision did.
I know that you're going to argue with me, but I just wanted you to know that I understand that you thought it was crap, but no-one else did.
I am aware of the subjectivity of art. I am also aware of my own self-critical nature, etc. Besides all the explanation and justification, my point is this: I asked not to be identified with the display, and someone blatantly disregarded my wishes.
Thanks for the encouragement, though. :)
I didn't mean to come across condescending.
My guess is that whoever put your name on it didn't know that you had specifically asked to not be named. We have well-meaning souls within our midst...
I for one am glad that they did. It makes me happy to be continually surprised by you. Everything happens for a reason, right? ;)
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