Contrversial Art

“What difference does it make when you find one name? I mean look at all the f*ing names!”

Controversial art is a touchy subject. Many may be horrified by a piece while others smile or even weep. The differing in views can cause great debates that can involve a whole country. But art is meant to be controversial. Otherwise, it wouldn't make us think and feel. We would have no need to breathe it in and experience the colors or texture or form of a piece.

Art is the purest form of self-expression. Were we all to conform to a certain set of standards, we would all be stripped of our ability to express ourselves freely. And where would those limitations end? The government tends to steamroll every aspect of any issue of control. Were it to monitor what people do in the world of art mediums such as sculpture, canvas, and welding, then where would it end? Clothing could become an issue. Jewelry and makeup would follow. The world would very much become the living version of George Orwell’s 1984, complete with “Big Brother” determining what we wear, how we style or color our hair, and how we decorate our homes- all of which are forms of self-expression.

On a personal note, frankly, I think controversial art gives society something to talk, and even argue about. It keeps life interesting. I love pieces that evoke shock, revulsion, love, or other extreme motions. They force us to look at ourselves and our feelings about various subjects and realize our faults and shortcomings.

The main controversy I’ve focused on in Unit 3 is Maya Lin’s design of the Vietnam Veteran’s Memorial. Her work held my interest the most because my dad is a Vietnam Vet who was overseas for two years (almost three) and it made an enormous impact on his life. When my brother and I were young, Dad took us to see the memorial in D.C. I was only 6 or 7 but I understood the magnitude of the sight and was moved by it.

Lin wanted people to be moved by her work. Not just because she created it, but because she knew that America had not yet healed from the wounds left by the war in Vietnam. The quote at the top is from one man seeing the wall for the first time. What he said and the emotion that sprang forth as he spoke caused me to burst into tears. I hadn’t realized that this was her intention, but now that I see how people have reacted to the wall, I am moved even more by her design.

The controversy of the Vietnam Veteran’s Memorial seeped into the pores of American households. It affected everyone from the veterans themselves to the politicians at the capitol. It may have seemed to be negative in the eyes of the many that choose not to delve into the deeper meaning of the memorial, but it was certainly a positive leap forward in the world of art, and in the healing process for the country.

I have in fact learned a lot about myself through this week’s assignments and the reactions I’ve had to the pieces of work. When I saw the image of the Holy Virgin Mary in such a deplorable state, I was very offended. I didn’t even want to know what the artist was trying to convey. I didn’t care. This forced me to look at myself and see how judgmental I really can be towards those with different ideas and backgrounds from me. It’s something that I don’t like about myself but this class and all that I am learning here is teaching me to have a much more open mind, not just when studying art, but in all aspects of my life.