“We need to create an awareness for art in the society, at large. Then and only then, our funding problem may be solved,” opined dean of art school.
I recognised the location of this week’s outreach program office from the artwork hanging from a tree. Barring a few chairs and kit bags, not a soul was to be seen at the site when I reached there.
“Who will come and donate money, if you spread awareness using such a complex work?” was my first reaction, “if I an art teacher needs an explanation, what to expect of uninitiated?”
Word Count: 98
This is an effort to write aflash fiction effort with the Friday fictioneers, 9th Nov, 2018, using picture prompt provided by host Rochelle Wisoff-Fields. Other stories can be found here.
Photo Prompt : J S Brand
Very interesting story, Abhijit. I liked it. My first thought when I read the last line was, “Art is in the eye of the beholder” similar to the way we all see the same picture and write very different things. 🙂
-David
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Thank you for reading and leaving a comment. True art is in the eye of the beholder. To develop a good eye for art, we need training.
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Interesting story
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Thank you for reading.
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Thank you.
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A tough decision – art for art’s sake or art to be popular and make money. Or can the best art do both?
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Department needs money. One way is to raise awareness. More students will enroll. People will donate, buy art. That is the objective.
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You pose a tough question for the educators Abhijit. It’s tempting to simplify a subject to make it accessible, but when do you stop spoon-feeding your students and encourage/enable them to think for themselves?
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Agree. There has to be a balance. Course material for undergraduate and postgraduate studies are different. Point is attract audience using simple art forms. Graduate them to complex topics.
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I guess it’ll get people thinking. And no prospective donor is going to admit they don’t know what it is!
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Thank you for reading and leaving a comment
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He makes an interesting point – but being an artist doesn’t mean ‘lay people’ won’t understand the art. Nicely done.
Susan A Eames at
Travel, Fiction and Photos
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Thank youp
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Thank you
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funding! that’s the bottom-line
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True that. Without geese machine stops. Thank you for reading.
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Did you mean “without grease the machine stops”?
As puzzling as this tree is to me, I can appreciate the artistry. Another form of art, music, also has many different ways of expressing things to different people. Some will love what others dislike, and vice versa.
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Yes, I meant grease. It is autocorrect made it geese.
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Oh, that’s funny!
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Dear Abhijit,
Art is subjective indeed. Nicely done.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Tha K you.
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true art doesn’t an explanation indeed. the only duty of a teacher is to show the way akin to a farmer leading the horse to the water to drink.
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Thank you.
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There is no universal audience for any work of art, I guess.
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True. If the aim is to make appreciation of art popular, one may have to lower standard a little.
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A difficult task ahead.
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True.
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There is a challenge here, but worth facing. In this kind of situation more explanation may come from the student than the teacher.
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True.
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Haha! Right on point. Good one, sir! 😄
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Thank you for reading. Glad you liked it.
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Interesting and topical take on the photo prompt, nice one.
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Thank you for leaving a comment. Glad you liked it.
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Art is so complex… you need to find a delicate balance not to make it too mundane while still cater for the need of the people…
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True. If you want money, you may have to lower standard a bit. Thank you for reading.
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Somehow art, and the idea of learning/teaching art generally gets swept under the rug.
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Yes. As fund crunch begins to pinch Art becomes first casualty. Thank you for reading
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I’m hoping they get the funding.
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So is the whole department. Thank you for reading.
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Interesting concept, are you suggesting the artist should dumb down for the masses?
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Yes that is the idea. Why teach postgraduate course to a kindergarten class? Thank you for reading.
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I have to disagree with your comment that art appreciation can only be taught. Although yes, it certainly can be taught, I believe the beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
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There is no disagreement. If you want to raise money you may have to do some gimmick. Thank you for reading.
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Really interesting.
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Thank you.
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