NOV 15th 1-2-3: Art: Consuming and Engaging
1: Consuming and Engaging ( 3 minute read )
It is an attention-economy right now, and consumption is the name of the game.
How can we get more people to consume our product?
Whether it is food, clothing, or just the new hot Stanley tumbler you just have to have, there is a heavy emphasis on buying and buying as much as you can.
(Nothing against you if you have a Stanley cup by the way, I myself have the smaller version and I must admit it is my favorite tumbler thus far!)
There is a word for this: consumerism. The way this is posed is to promote or protect the interests of the customer.
We all know though, the goal is to promote getting the customer to purchase and consume as much as possible, because that is what is good for our markets, right?
This is happening with everything, including art. With subscription services like Netflix, Xbox Games Pass, and Apple+ encouraging a constant stream of content for you to consume.
This is not to appear pessimistic about the situation, technology has brought a lot of blessings to us all (FaceTime calls with a loved one during the pandemic comes to mind). On the contrary, I would provide a simple change in approach.
Consuming brings to mind another word, gluttony.
Drink in as many shows, YouTube videos, and audio books as you can on 2x speed because the more the better.
How about instead of consuming, we also engage?
Let me explain.
Engaging with something requires less passivity and more intentionality. It’s the difference between watching videos, and asking what you can do with the video.
It’s the difference between binge watching a show, and watching a couple of episodes and then researching who made it, what book it was based on, and asking what message is the story trying to communicate to you.
Engaging with art is an active process, and infinitely more fulfilling.
Nowadays, artists on average are operating at a higher level of technicality and prowess than ever before, just take to Instagram to see this fact. Yet, it is easier than ever for me to see something, think it is cool, like the post and scroll onto the other.
Consumption.
I’ve been learning how to slow down and really take in what the artist drew or painted. Look at the details. Notice what my eye was drawn to, and then ask myself why I was drawn to it.
Ask myself which mediums did they use, look at the brush strokes, think about the order they might have drawn the parts of the piece in.
Engagement.
Granted, I am an artist myself so I do take to asking these questions but it was learned process that works for everything as well. Books, movies, shows, even YouTube videos.
Where there is creation, there is an art to the process.
In general, slowing down to breathe in the details aligns our mindsets all the more with the art, and opens the gates to these questions.
Perhaps rereading a particular sentence in a book that moved you provides insight into why it did.
Try focusing on whatever you are watching, reading, or playing and take in the details of the body of work. Find questions to ask yourself. Google some answers.
All of the engagement with the art should serve two purposes in my mind (though there may be more, this is where I am at currently):
It should deepen your understanding and appreciation of the art.
It should enrich your life, and inspire you to want to create something of your own.
We are creative creatures, and to create we have to engage with a lot (In last week’s Friday newsletter I spoke about how creativity presents itself in the process, but for today know it is important to engage with a lot of art to have ideas to pull from).
All together, the process of engaging with art ought to be an analytical, enriching process to inspire you in your life.
Looking for it, will allow you to find it.
I have often found that when I ask myself questions about a piece of art, I end up learning more about the art, the artist, and myself.
It makes my life a more enjoyable and deepened experience.
So next time you find yourself watching, reading or playing, ask yourself: am I consuming this, or do I want to engage with this?
Give it a try! Simply researching a bit about the people who made the art can lead to fun and enriching knowledge!
2: Creative Prompts From Us (ex. Write a short story, a poem, a song, or draw a quick illustration of these! Let your imagination run free.)
I. Listen to a piece of music and create a visual artwork that reflects its mood, rhythm, and themes, then use that to create something new!
II. Use your phone to take a photograph of a random scene or object, then write a short story or poem imagining its backstory or the emotions it evokes.
3: Inspirational Quotes From Others
I. “You can look at the picture all you want, but unless you engage with it, it won’t communicate with you.” - David Hockney, Painter
II. “The artist is the person who invents the means to bridge between the seen and the unseen.” - John Updike, Novelist and Poet
III. “The purpose of life is to be defeated by greater and greater things.” (In reference to the transformative nature of art and the constant challenge of engaging with it deeply.) - Rainer Maria Rilke, Poet
Thank you so much for reading!