—Creativity—
For a long time, now, I've had this concept that guides my work, and guides the way I look at other art. It has to do with three very common aspects of art, whether I find it to be good, bad, or mediocre art: illusion, novelty, and spectacle. These are three words that describe the way that art often works for a viewer. I think the terms are self-explanatory.
But I do need to explain why I focus on these three things. And the reason is that these are all qualities and purposes that can very easily ruin art for me. These are ways of working that can easily go too far. I can think of many powerful works that can be described with any or all of these terms, but the power of these qualities in good art is in the restraint the artist shows when using them.
Illusion, novelty, and spectacle are powerful forces. But in abundance, they lose strength. There must be more (or less) going on; a great work of art cannot be created with just these three designs. Illusion, novelty, and spectacle are manipulative forces. They surprise us, and excite us. They must, like ingredients in good cuisine, be used carefully, and with good judgment. They must be complemented with some other ingredients. They must be tempered. A good artist can make a spectacle out of something small and subtle. A good artist can do something novel, but make it timeless at the same time. A good artist can trick our eyes, but reward our senses with familiarity and our minds with grounded logic.
Often, when I see something I don't like, I can blame the artist for going overboard with one of these three qualities—or using them for their own sake, rather than as secret ingredients. Sometimes, when I see a work I like, I can attribute success to the artist for using these three qualities. But when I think about it, the artist is not being manipulative, but is instead sharing. The artist is not using trickery, or making a big noise, or taking the easy path of total absurdity. The artist is not going straight for our senses, but is getting to our senses through our hearts, minds, and souls.
