The Language of Art

No, I'm not talking about writing here ...

My question is...is there one true language which encompasses the very nature of art itself? Do you think that only one language should be used for artistic terms? Or are you satisfied with the blend of languages from all over the world that are used in art? If that is the case, then is there one language which you prefer? French? Italian? English? Or do you believe that art in itself is its own language, capable of communicating messages just as any tongue can?

Just thought I'd start some conservation Discuss away!

 

"Art" is difficult to define, so what someone considers art may be different from someone else. Personally, I think art is merely an expression of raw human emotion. It manifests itself through music, paintings, writing, etc.

With that in mind, it's impossible to limit the description of art with one language. Art is a sort of language itself and like all languages, it evolves over time.

And let me carry my point a step further: I think it would be inappropriatte for art to be defined by one language. Because if words are what we communicate with, then words are what limits us. Art has no limits and therefore shouldn't be fenced in by one language.

 

My thoughts exactly. It would be interesting to see, though, if one had to choose a language that could best describe the characteristics of art, which one they would choose. But, as you said, there really are no characteristics of art - it is an expression of raw human emotion.

 

There is no language to express "art" because, essentially, art is a language. Like most other disciplenes such as mathematics, science, psychology, etc. Art is a language in the truest sense of the word; it gives us the ability to communicate the fathoms and depths of the human mind and explain them in a way that we could not do verbally.

Have you ever seen a piece of poetry written with such eloquence that to remove a line from it's delicate structure would take it out of its inherent context and destroy what it was trying to convey. Why do you think so many novels make for crap films and so many films have terrible novelizations? They are different ways of telling the same story. At times, the painted image can communicate better than any spoken word.

~PAd

 

I don't believe art is difficult to define it is however, difficult to understand in all its forms.

Art transcends any one language and has an oral/aural/visual language of its own that is completley different and forever changing.

 

Art is difficult to define because of all its varying factors.

If art had one language then it would be restricted and art has come to far for that to be accepted. A few hundred years ago maybe but definately not today.

Also the meanings and subtleties (sp?) of every language can be lost in translation and rendered meaningless or changed

 

Very good opinions so far.

Art is whatever you make it. Art doesn't need a language. However you make art is its language.

 

As an artist, I believe that Art is not merely the product of the medium it was created in, or even of the vision of the artist. I think art "happens" within the mind, spirit, soul, etc. of the person who is experiencing it. The artist creates the work, to be sure, but it is the audience that turns it into Art.

That being said, I agree that it would be horribly limiting to place one language above all others with regards to artistic importance. Language is just another tool for the creation of Art, and saying that Italian or French is more important than Spanish, English or Japanese is like saying that red paint is more important than green paint. At the most basic of levels, all Art is an attempt at communication. The more tools of communication that are available, the better.

 

Art is definately a language, but it's a very confusing one. It's all up to interperatation. Some things are very clear, like the works of Frida Kahlo. Her self-portraits are all pretty straight-forward on the emotions they are meant to invoke. An artist I find to be rather confusing is Heironymous Bosch. Some of his works, like The Wayfarer don't make much sense to me, but he was also a very religious artist, and I'm not religious.

I really don't think that any specific language can encompass all that art is. In many ways, art transends languages. A Russian and a Spaniard will both be able to communicate using pictures instead of words.