Exaggeration

Hi guys! Prior to this semester, I never gave the art the consideration that it deserves. To be honest, I steered clear of anything deemed “art.” I had always felt that art appeals to the pretentious socialite seeking to up his intellectual profile. Or, conversely, that art appeals to those who crave social recognition, yet have no other means of attaining it.

While I was perfectly content in my ignorance, IDC 1001H forced me to confront art and evaluate it without spite (well, for the most part). The course exposed me to various types of art and modes of production. Each event refined my collective view of art and helped me foster an appreciation (not necessarily a like) for the respective form at hand. Art isn’t conceived overnight and it requires intensive care and attention to reach fruition. As a viewer, my mentally shifted from “Why bother?” to “What’s going on here?” I requite the artist’s work, effort, and dedication with a moment of profound intensity, or maybe a lack thereof.

I’ve come to the general conclusion that art appeals to me when it depicts some sort of exaggeration. Ch’ing•lish, for example, accentuates Asian/American linguistic discrepancies. Hilarity ensues whenever a supertitle or translator exposes a misconstrued expression.

“Three to Max,” the final performance in 2011’s Fall For Dance (Night 5), features a booming voice that chants the first ten numbers in a foreign dialect (with heavy Latin influence). While some regard the incantation as indeterminable or senseless, I find myself enchanted, subconsciously memorizing and repeating the lyric.

Divergence excites me. Each header designates a cultural event, like Ch’ing•lish and Fall For Dance, which has impacted my perception of art through its idiosyncratic presentation or content. Hope y’all enjoy!