Monday, July 26, 2010

Work of Art

I don't love reality tv but there are a handful of shows that I have to watch (Project Runway and Top Chef). But I've started to get drawn into Bravo's latest offering Work of Art, Next Great Artist. I don't think any of the artist are that great... on the show.

See, although you might not always be inspired on Project Runway, you can always make a dress. Top Chef is food. Cooking under pressure is hard and yes, you might miss the mark but you can cook without being inspired. Art on the other hand... it's a tough one. You can't be show a car or a beautiful scenery and be told to be inspired and create great art.

Yes, I get that the point of these shows is to see how people perform and create under pressure and that's part of what makes them the next great whatever. But I still feel like art is different. Even if you have a strong concept, you still only have limited hours to create your art and the viewer often left looking at concepts and ideas that within the time crunch just looking like bad art. Winning pieces are often the best translated concept but to often I just feel like I'm looking at shitty art.

So what inspires creation of any form? And shouldn't christians be making better art. I mean, isn't the beauty of the sunset going to affect the person who believes that God holds in all order and has created this sunset as a reminder of who he is in a deeper and more meaningful way then someone who just appreciates the sunset? Isn't the power of salvation and the romance of the gospel of Christ so compelling and such a wonderful thing, that those whose call themselves sons and daughters of the living God, who have been given his creative spirit, can do nothing but create the most beautiful of paintings and songs and poems as pure worship to the God who loves and created them? Shouldn't we be overflowing with inspiration?

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