I was listening to the radio in the car just a few minutes ago. I was tuned in to Jam88.3, and a female DJ was talking about Yoko Ono’s latest art exhibit in London. She was describing how weird the pieces were. She basically implied in her comments that the exhibit was weird, and that it’s a sad thing that many “real” artists don’t get the chance to have their works displayed, while Yoko Ono has endless opportunities to showcase her weird pieces.
I was so bothered by her words that as soon as I got home, I got on my computer, researched on the exhibit, and posted about it on my Facebook wall. Obviously I’m still not over it, because here I am blogging about the issue.
I completely agree that it’s a sad thing that many artists never get the chance to have their works exhibited. I’m sure that Yoko Ono’s celebrity status certainly gives her advantage, and it could be a big factor as to why she gets to put up these art shows. However, I feel that it is not right for the DJ to imply that Yoko Ono is not a “real” artist, simply because her pieces are weird, or too simple, or basically out of the ordinary.
I don’t want to bother finding out who the DJ was, but I just really have to voice out my disappointment and disbelief at her opinion about what “real” art “should” be. The Oxford dictionary defines art as “the expression or application of human creative skill and imagination, typically in a visual form such as painting or sculpture, producing works to be appreciated primarily for their beauty or emotional power”. Whatever is on display now at Yoko Ono’s exhibit is an application of her imagination and creativity. It may not be beautiful or emotionally gripping for some, but I’m sure each piece holds a special meaning for her as the artist. I just wish people would learn to realize that, not just in this case, but in general. Seriously, it’s one thing to call a piece of art weird. It is a completely closed-minded perspective to say that it is sad that certain pieces get exhibited even if they are weird, while other “real” art pieces don’t. Just my honest opinion.
And now that this is out of my system, I’d just like to wish everyone a very happy Wednesday!
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