It is nearly impossible to imagine life without art. What a complete and utter terror that would result from no paintings, music, or even poetry. The works of Van Gogh and Bach would have never transcended culture, while E.E. Cummings would have never delivered some of the most influential, thought-invoking work known in the poetry field. Art is culture. Every known society has had some form of Art in their lives. Whether that being decorous Totem poles, the Sistine Chapel, or “Can’t Stop” by the
Red Hot Chili Peppers is beside the point; Art is a universal and historical field. Art is furthermore one of the most sacred and powerful aspects of Christianity. All throughout the bible it is very clear that worshipping God through art is a beautiful and powerful way to do such. In fact, God is often said to be an artist. Isaiah 64:8 says “But now, O
Lord, you are our Father; we are the clay, and you are our potter; we are all the work of your hand.”
Recently though, it has come to my attention that the art of the old has been replaced with languid, situational ideology. Both Roger Scruton and Leyland Ryken attempt to explain and defend their own opinions through their respective works. These works both help to establish the worldviews represented in art.
Roger Scruton has some very, very good points. However, I believe his opinions are somewhat skewed of the beauty of art. Beauty is oftentimes found in the eyes of the beholder, rather than an entire society’s. To one man, Eric Calpton’s music could speak to the soul, while to another it is merely a strumming of the guitar. Scruton assumes that beauty is merely tangible, and that only older works (he focuses a ridiculous amount of time on old architecture) or those that uphold a good message can be seen as a beautiful piece of art. That, in my opinion was Scruton’s greatest fault. However, he provided great insight into the many faults of modern art. Is a urinal really any sort of artistic achievement? Absolutely not. Scruton tells a tale of art that legitimately changed the mundane aspects of life of earlier years. That magnificent impact is rarely seen nowadays. Many images of post-modern art appeared in his video, providing real-life examples of such worldviews in art. Scruton is brutally honest and estimates the debilitating effect that some of the meaningless “art” is having on society today.
Leyland Ryken’s
The Creative Arts also has some very, very good points. Ryken focuses upon the “levels of truth” that a work of art contains. Ryken believes one’s art will be a direct representation of their outlook on life. I really understand and agree with what Ryken attempted to convey. Just as a football player leaves every bit of soul and fight he has in him on the field, so do artists in the studio. It is in that state of complete and total focus upon their work that the worldviews are easily identifiable. Ryken emphatically defended that
A work of art can stand in the art gallery and be cherished for its own sake." Ryken holds many of the beliefs and philosophies on art that I do.
Overall, I appreciate and admire the opinions of Ryken and Scruton. Their insights and opinions have enhanced my understanding of the worldviews of art, along with what truly should be considered art. Although I am not very artistic nor very interested in art, nothing inspires more than something beautiful. Having first seen A Starry Night in the third grade, I have always been enamored with such an exquisite work. In an age where Lady Gaga is winning
“artist of the year,” it is important to continue the study of older, more meaningful pieces. As a Christian, I believe it necessary to worship God to the best of one’s ability, whether a gifted musician or not. Art is vital to life and society, one of my greatest hopes is that more Christian artists could emerge, while still upholding biblical values.
