What is "Art" Anyway?

After going to see Medea last night, I realized there is a significant difference between art and performing art. I suppose, before, I just lumped everything into one category without really analyzing all the idiosyncrasies, simply saying to myself, “I like this. I don’t like that.” I don’t think art should be simple, but I do think it should be enjoyable—this production of Medea was anything but. First of all, setting anyone? No, I have not read the original play, but I don’t think that should be necessary when it’s being performed right there on a stage in front of you (I’m seriously doubting people attending the Globe Theatre sent away to Amazon for their own personal copy of any given play or hopped on their MacBook to get a quick SparkNotes overview so they could fully appreciate this “art” -_- ). In any case, initially, I wasn’t clear whether this was supposed to be present day or not—was I the only one questioning the giant electrical box/high tension wires? And then I thought, “Okay, maybe this is some sort of contemorary sci-fi take because—correct me if I’m wrong—I don’t think pleather, chinos, or aluminum walking canes were around back in ancient Greece. Second, I am aware this was supposed to be the interpretation of Medea according to the respected UCLA Live and Lenka Udovicki, but I looked around at the audience a handful of times during the production, and I’m pretty certain I wasn’t the only one going, “Umm what in the world is going on here?” I kept thinking, “Are these people transfixed or are they just bored?” This made me recall something my 8th grade math teacher told me: “I read because I’m supposed to.” He said it as though it was some requisite for being a real adult (he was all of 30 or so). Anyway, yesterday this got me thinking, maybe people “appreciate” art for the same reason: they are supposed to. I’m sure the majority of people, adults anyhow, would like to consider themselves cultured, or in some way urbane. Could it be that this fixation on social worldliness is what perpetuates the constant recycling of that which is perceived as “art”?

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  • I saw Medea too! And the whole time I kept looking around to see if ANYONE was enjoying it or connecting to it or was enthralled by it. I seriously went into the play and tried to be open minded, I've never tried so hard in my life! But I could not with any caliber of my being get myself to understand or enjoy what the heck was going on that stage. It was just THE most outlandish thing ever; the first thing I wondered to myself was why there was a electrical box and tension wires too! And the congregation of singing chicks in pleather, the crippled man on canes, Medea basically showering in front of everyone --- like...why? The strangest part was that there were people that laughed at parts in the play and I was so confused, I thought there were cue cards telling people to laugh because I didn't find anything funny at all! I don't know, but I am definitely apprehensive about my next play now after watching that one...it was just pure torture and a big fat no no...and I paid $20 for that! I heard adults paid $100 to watch that --- that was probably their obligation to enjoy it.
  • Very well said on all acounts including your take on Medea. I think that a lot of people do enjoy certain types of art "because they are supposed to," but at the same time I think there is an art form for everyone, meaning that there is some type of art that a certain person will trully enjoy and not just because he/she is supposed to.
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