Cheerskep, As I start a new sculpture design , which in my case simply the nude figure. Most every thing you state that runs thru your mind, perhaps runs subconscious through mine, also, but unaware while in the process of it's creation. I rely and trust on my training and experience within my inner being to do that for me. Knowing that the nude can express endless universal emotions ,ideas, symbolisms is part of my objective. mando
--- On Tue, 9/23/08, [EMAIL PROTECTED] <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Subject: Re: Examining the theory > To: [email protected] > Date: Tuesday, September 23, 2008, 11:27 AM > In a message dated 9/23/08 12:35:39 PM, > [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: > > > > I understand that the artist is concerned only > > with his/her perception - whether an observer shared > in some specific > > meaning is apparently not important; > > > Geoff -- You have to keep in mind that this forum is > dominated by visual > artists, among whom you're likely to find many -- > though not all -- who honestly > feel, "The hell with being preoccupied with the effect > of my work on others. I > paint what I want." > > I know I can be a pain in the neck for many fellow-listers, > but, say I, I am > from the forum point of view healthily different. In two > ways: For one, I seem > to be at the moment the only contributing > "philosopher". For another, I'm an > "artist" of sorts, but my "art" is > different from visual art. > > I'm a playwright. Behind every line I write there is > a good deal of concern > about its effects on contemplators (both readers and live > audience members). > The concerns are various. Often the concern is focused on > immediate > impression: If I write a line that's supposed to be > moving or funny or surprising, and > in every developmental reading or workshop performance it > proves to be a dud, > chances are I'll either revise it (or its preparatory > lead-up) or delete it. > > Accepting what I think is the spirit behind your use of the > word 'meaning', > I'll make an ad-hoc distinction between two kinds of > "meaning-notion" I want to > occasion. One I'll call cerebral -- > "exposition" -- the other, emotional. In > exposition, the narrative writer wants the viewer to take > on board certain > "facts" about characters and their situation -- > e.g. this woman is that man's > daughter, this guy is very rich, that fellow has a terminal > illness. In those > cases I know the "fact" I want to convey > "clearly". > > But much of the "emotional" impact, the > idiosyncratic interpretation a viewer > brings to bear, I'm happy to leave to the viewer. I > LIKE it when I see > audience members leaving the theater arguing about given > characters or events. I can > imagine Shakespeare's being content to see viewers > holding different > judgments about the sanity or pitiability of Hamlet or > Lear. Granted, if I created a > character that I liked and found intensely interesting, and > every single viewer > felt he was boring and a bastard, I'd take that as damn > bad news. > > In practice, though, except in the farce I wrote, I know my > characters are > multiplex, and I understand it when some viewers like them > some of the time and > are repelled some of the time. I don't expect uniform > reactions in an audience > to characters like those. In one of my current scripts, > there's an > ultra-smart, highly educated guy. I'm aware some > viewers will recoil from him on that > fact alone. Well, I don't write for those people. I > don't want to spend two > hours watching slackers in someone else's play, and I > sure don't want to spend > months writing about one. So in that sense I "paint > what I want". But behind > that decision is a conviction there are potential viewers > who also like being > with gifted characters. > > As a writer, I work at creating a gripping storyline. And > I'm looking to grip > not just myself but an audience. > > All of which is to say that "whether an observer > shared in some specific > meaning is apparently not important" doesn't apply > to this would-be "artist". > > > > > > > ************** > Looking for simple solutions to your real-life financial > challenges? Check out WalletPop for the latest news and > information, tips and > calculators. > (http://www.walletpop.com/?NCID=emlcntuswall00000001)
