A Letter to the Moon

Dear Mr. Moon,

     You see it all, don’t you, you peeping tom?  Some nights you wake me by staring in my window wearing a big mischievous grin.  Other nights you study me with a magnifying glass held up to your wide open eye.  You are so obtuse, and impersonal.  Should I call you Dr. Moon?

     But, you see all.  Who sleeps?  Who doesn’t?  Who reads (and what)?  You see my dad getting up in the middle of the night and pouring Pepsi into a half empty jar of mayonnaise, only to place it back in the fridge and not remember it in the morning. You know all of our secrets, even the bad ones.  You spy on lovers, and forbidden lovers.  You see kids clutching teddy bears, afraid of the shadow that your light spells across their bedroom walls.

     You see red and blue flashing lights, with flares.  You also see headlights of taxi cabs, and blinking lights on airplanes filled with passengers that pull down the shades to block your access (how rude of them).

     Mr. Moon, I would love to have coffee with you sometime.  Share your stories with me, all of them.  I want to know of the secret things you see… the polar bears, and the sleeping elephants.   I want to know of the sad things you see, the reality that we weak little subjects always shut out.  Don’t mince your words, tell me what you see!  But also, tell me the beauty.  Tell me of the lovers.  Tell me of the waves lapping on the forgotten shore lit by the gleam of your face.  Tell me of the lioness fearlessly giving birth to her cubs under your shield, far away from her pride.   Give me hope, Mr. Moon.

     Share your stories with me.  I’m hungry for them. 

Sincerely,

An Admirer

Defining Art

Art is subjective, in its many forms, whether it be painting, sculpture, drawing, dance, theatre, writing, or any other form of creative expression.  Therefore narrowing down a specific definition is just as subjective, but I am going to refer to an article entitled “A Naturalist Definition of Art” by Denis Dutton that appeared in the summer 2006 issue of The Journal of Aesthetics and Art Criticism.  In the article he says “characteristic features found cross-culturally can be reduced to a list of core items”.  He went on to describe twelve key items, or characteristic features, that should be present within the questioned work for it to be considered a work of art.  These characteristic features are summarized here:

·         Direct Pleasure – the work should be a source of immediate, experimental pleasure for the viewer.

·         Skill or Virtuosity – specialized skills were required or necessary to create the work.

·         Style – a recognizable style can be easily discerned that sets the work apart from similar works.

·         Novelty and Creativity – the work stands alone as a unique creation or idea even if based on existing ideas or similar creations.

·         Criticism – critique of the work should be elaborate and detailed, the critique is required to compare and contrast the work against similar works in a sophisticated fashion.

·         Representation – a clear, concise idea is represented.

·         “Special” focus – the work should seem “bracketed off” from the ordinary, and will demand unique attention.

·         Expressive Individuality – the work should reflect and be representative of its creator’s unique style and discernible as such.

·         Emotional Saturation – the work should invoke varying degrees of emotion to the viewer.

·         Intellectual Challenge – the work should present a mystery or puzzle to draw in the viewer.

·         Art Traditions and Institutions – the work should be recognized as having value by institutions such as museums, galleries, and the artist’s peers.

·         Imaginative Experience – the work should stand as a “presentation” of the imagination of the viewer.