Mood Diary: Before and after

Ever since I was a child, my mother was determined to incorporate me into the world of fine arts, especially music. She began by introducing me to classical instruments at the age of 4, and ended by sending me to a high school with a reputable music program. I don’t completely understand why influencing me with music was so important to her, as she hardly played any instruments nor was she particularly interested in the fine arts. I feel that it might have been to give me some sort of leverage when it was time for me to apply to college. I can’t say because I don’t know. Unfortunately, this did not result in any passion for music on my part. I realized that the fine arts were not my “cup of tea”, and so after high school, I decided to give it up all together. That’s why at the beginning of the semester, I wasn’t particularly excited for IDC.

I was slightly taken aback by the Mood Diary assignment. I enjoy following directions, so the lack of was intimidating to me. So I began the thought process by thinking about what I felt when being exposed to the art that was presented so far this semester, and to my surprise, I realized that there was a significant amount of emotion attached to each experience that we had. What surprised me even more that I felt this way with forms of art that I never showed much interest in before. For example, for the Portrait Essay assignment, I went to the MET in order to find something to write about. I stumbled upon an exhibit of sketch work, and I remember feeling emotional connection with some of the pieces that were present. One of the drawings that struck me the most was a portrait of Jesus Christ with his crown of thorns. It wasn’t the religious connotation that stuck out to me, but how each stroke seemed to complement the despair on his face. They were just lines and curves, but electrified movement that gave Jesus’ face significance past his aesthetic. I felt sensations of sorrow and grief, again, not because of the religious meaning behind Jesus, but the genuine emotion that shrouded the structure of his face.

There are so many other experiences from IDC that gave me some sort of cathartic sensation that I wasn’t expecting to have. The experience reminds me of Marina Abramovic and her “The Artist is Present” exhibit that occurred at the MoMA. Along with some of her most famous works, Abramovic added a performance piece that consisted of a table with two chairs on either end facing each other and herself. She would be sitting at one of the chairs, and permitted spectators were able to sit in the other chair and look Abramovic straight in the eyes. The exhibit lasted for three months, and during those months Abramovic would sit in the same chair for hours without even the slightest sign of movement. Those who chose to sit across from her often found themselves tearing over the experience. The concept of the piece is so simple and doesn’t need to be taken seriously, yet for some reason, there is a dimension of emotion and sensation that surrounds the piece, making it more than just a woman sitting at a table. The same goes for the art that I’ve experienced so far this semester. A painting is just colors, a drawing is just lines, and a performance is just people moving around. None of it has to mean anything more than just that. However, it does. It means so much more than just what the eye can see, and when that meaning is experienced, emotional catharsis can be a result. In conclusion, The experience that I’ve had thus far have been far more than what I’ve expected, and perhaps it will please my mother when I tell her about my new appreciation for the fine arts.