How Subjective is Art?
I’ve found that art is highly subjective from the artist’s and the patron’s perspectives.
Provided that the fundamentals are strong enough and the artist knows what they are doing with colour, composition and the execution of their artworks, the rest is purely a matter of taste and whether the viewer resonates with the artist’s ideas.
I adore thinking about art and understanding why certain people are attracted to specific pieces.
An artist’s life force energy is frozen in time inside a painting.
Love Energy
Art is energy, and an artwork exudes the artist’s energy as if it is a living extension of their body. Pieces that are made with love seem to vibrate with that energy and attract those with similar energy.
My favourite ‘love’ artist is Van Gogh for that reason, his works are full of love for nature’s energy and movement, in addition to a rock-solid grasp of the fundamentals of art. His colours are beautiful and one can see the purity of his love overcoming the difficulties in his life.
Imagination Energy
Some artists paint what they see externally, while others paint what they see internally in their imagination or mind’s eye. Salvador Dali is my favourite ‘imagination’ artist, I never tire of poring over his works and discovering new ideas about surrealism.
With Dali’s paintings and other creations, we get a direct look into the artist’s thought processes and his extravagant imagination.
Soul Energy
El Greco, Caravaggio and Rembrandt all painted with soul energy, I can feel their deep connection to the myriad colours of the soul in their work. From darker works to shining, ecstatic works, these artists are my favourites for their captures of soul energy.
Fear Energy
Expressionists like Munch were amazing at transmitting the energy of fear and existential angst. Lucien Freud’s paintings were a brilliant channel for the darker emotions hidden in human psychology and how they distort our perceptions.
Joy Energy
Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama’s life was not easy but you wouldn’t know it to look at the joyous colours and playful polka dots in her art.
This artist lives voluntarily in a mental institution and overcame sexism in the art world to become an internationally famous painter.
Universal Energy
The rarest type of artist expresses universal energy. This type of artist is deeply connected with their creator side, the part of themselves with an extraordinary vision. The ultimate universal artist for me is Leonardo da Vinci.
While the list above is by no means exhaustive, it is a beginning of discovery.
In summary, art is subjective and provides a channel to the artist’s mind, heart and soul. Which artist is your favourite?