“The Great Divorce” part 2
One would think that society would naturally evolve and continually realign itself with contemporary art. One might also assume that viewing art created in a contemporary context would reestablish an understanding of its ideas and progress. However, judging purely by the large quantity of people that view historical art compared to the minute amount that venture into contemporary galleries, one can assume that the present day public feels more connected to historical art rather than contemporary. It is strange that even when the contemporary public views art created within its own culture, politics, religions, and ideas, it is still unable to identify with it, create more appropriate and informed standards, and understand the core of what art is: idea, communication, and a continual redefinition of itself.
How does one begin to unravel previous value systems and already established standards of art? It takes personal motivation to observe art that one may not enjoy or even understand. Most importantly it begins with education. It means following the post-impressionist movement into the drastically different and foreign territories of the beginning of the twentieth century, and with courage, follow them to their contemporary conclusion. If accomplished one will discover the same intelligence and content in the ideas and communication of the Renaissance artists as the contemporary artists currently working today.
