In eternity this world will be Troy, I believe, and all that has passed here will be the epic of the universe, the ballad they sing in the streets. Because I don’t imagine any reality putting this one in the shade entirely, and I think piety forbids me to try.
Marilynne Robinson via John Ames, Gilead
It’s the pessimism of modernity I hate. Contemporary art reflects this pessimism. It was the world wars and loss of God that caused this pessimism. It is not warranted. We exist, which is a miracle and we die, which is also a miracle. The greatest miracle is our existence, so to fail to appreciate this gift, the gift of parents and wife and children is to show a lack of courage and imagination.
Art should reflect on the miracle of existence. Beauty is the glint of another world that shyly reveals itself to those who are looking for it. That’s the trick. You have to look for something to find it. The camera is the best means of doing this artistically because by necessity it is tethered to reality, yet it allows the data collected about that reality to be used by the artist to help the viewer see what is truly in front of them: the miracle of existence. It is more than that of course because it is a particular thing that exists. The miracle is that an individual exists. If one pays attention, it is the powerful existence of the individual before us that creates the awe; it is not vague; it is real. When we see only photons reflecting off of something, we see very little. It is the artist’s job to see imaginatively so that he can use whatever medium he is working with to present that reality to the viewer and awaken her to the world.
Whenever you turn your eyes the world can shine like transfiguration. You don’t have to bring a thing to it except a little willingness to see. Only, who could have the courage to see it?
Id.
Blog No. 52: In eternity this world will be Troy
In eternity this world will be Troy, I believe, and all that has passed here will be the epic of the universe, the ballad they sing in the streets. Because I don’t imagine any reality putting this one in the shade entirely, and I think piety forbids me to try.
Marilynne Robinson via John Ames, Gilead
It’s the pessimism of modernity I hate. Contemporary art reflects this pessimism. It was the world wars and loss of God that caused this pessimism. It is not warranted. We exist, which is a miracle and we die, which is also a miracle. The greatest miracle is our existence, so to fail to appreciate this gift, the gift of parents and wife and children is to show a lack of courage and imagination.
Art should reflect on the miracle of existence. Beauty is the glint of another world that shyly reveals itself to those who are looking for it. That’s the trick. You have to look for something to find it. The camera is the best means of doing this artistically because by necessity it is tethered to reality, yet it allows the data collected about that reality to be used by the artist to help the viewer see what is truly in front of them: the miracle of existence. It is more than that of course because it is a particular thing that exists. The miracle is that an individual exists. If one pays attention, it is the powerful existence of the individual before us that creates the awe; it is not vague; it is real. When we see only photons reflecting off of something, we see very little. It is the artist’s job to see imaginatively so that he can use whatever medium he is working with to present that reality to the viewer and awaken her to the world.
Whenever you turn your eyes the world can shine like transfiguration. You don’t have to bring a thing to it except a little willingness to see. Only, who could have the courage to see it?
Id.