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For some reason today, I've been thinking about my college sorta girlfriend Kate and the conversations/arguments we used to have about Art with a Capital A. 1/?
Kate was (and still is I hope) an extremely talented artist. When we were Relationship Status Complicated I was still an English major and hadn't yet gotten into the film department at UCLA, but I definitely wanted to be a writer. 2/?
We used to get into intense disagreements about Art. At the time, Kate's work (paintings & prints ) tended to be super ugly. Intentionally so. I kinda hated it. Meanwhile I wasn't really doing my art at all. Yet I felt I had the right to critique hers because White Dude. 3/?
I'd argue that she was capable of making truly beautiful things. But she chose to make ugly pieces instead. Kate would counter that Art was supposed to hold up a mirror to the world, and the world could be ugly. 4/?
I'd then point out that there was beauty in the world too. And that maybe as artists, we should be adding to it instead of adding the ugliness. 5/?
At this point, she'd have been perfectly justified to respond: "Shut up about my art and make your own, idiot" but she never did. Bless her. Instead... 6/?
She'd point out that the another purpose of Art (always a Capital A for her) was to evoke an emotional reaction from its viewers, and her Art did exactly that. It was powerful. (It was). And that should be enough. 7/?
My final argument was always that love was a stronger, more desirable emotional reaction that disgust or anger, and maybe she should shoot for that. She'd counter that her truth was her truth and she wouldn't pretend to be anyone but who she was. 8/?
And of course, she was right. In this AMTA, I'm the asshole. But I think we kept coming back to that particular argument because we both enjoyed it. It was a FUN fight and she'd initiate it as often as I would. 9/?
And these arguments still come back to me when I write a scene that's ugly and raw like one of Kate's paintings and then I inevitably add some humor and a bit of hope and eventually cap it with a happy ending, because I'm not as brave as Kate. 10/?
But that's my Art. And Kate taught me everyone's Art is really an expression of who they are and what they care about. It's communication. Ugly, startling, and though-provoking or hopeful, corny, and commercial, there's no wrong way to Art. But it's fun to argue about. 11/?
In the end she dumped me for a super hot Polish guy, which was a good call on her part. I hope she's still out there making awesome Art. The end. 12/12
Epilogue: I googled Kate and she's teaching art and English in middle school and is the lead singer/lyricist for a folk rock band. Her music is sad and soulful. And beautiful. 13/12
