I HAVE to admit, I’m really having a hard time blogging about Art. In trying to analyze an art piece, I always end up with a headache. I think my eyes are blind, well at least in a figurative sense. Maybe this is when Art appreciation comes in handy. I just hope that after this course, my eyes would be able to witness the beauty in every art piece.

Last Wednesday, we were required to watch the Chamber Ensemble perform and needless to say, as Art appreciation students, we are expected to comment on their show.

I believe that not everyone appreciates the sound of Mozart, Beethoven and the like. Personally, I find it boring (no offence to the fans of this kind of music). On a positive note, this kind of music helps me fall asleep. I wonder why I don’t like this kind of genre, when in fact my dad loves listening to these pieces. Anyhow, given that a number of students will not have a grasp of this show, I believe that it is the responsibility of the host to capture the attention of the audience particularly to those who have little interest in listening. However, the host failed his task for several reasons. First, he was speaking in a monotonous tone which I think made me yawn for quite a few times. Subsequently, he was uttering jargon terms that obviously only a few will understand. Unfortunate enough, I’m one of the naives who can’t understand what he is trying to convey. Nevertheless, I feel that the host had given his best shot and so, he deserves a round of applause! *clap clap clap*

After a long introduction, it was time for the members of the Ensemble to give a lecture about common instruments in our culture and also in the western section. I must commend on this part of the show. The members were wise enough to accompany their informative speech with visuals on the background. Not only that, they also gave a demonstration on how to play that particular instrument. Two thumbs up for these very talented individuals!

The chamber Ensemble performed revivals of Mozart, Bethoven and our very own, Mr. Ryan Cayabyab. Although I really don’t appreciate Mozart and Beethoven’s music, I enjoyed watching the orchestra play. I never expected that they would be that good. The performance was close to the original version.

I wonder: Are revivals ART? (Given that they lack one of the universal substances of art which is originality)

OPEN SEASON!

My boyfriend downloaded the movie “Open Season” for my brother to watch. I was tempted to watch it also, so did I. The movie started on a girl scout who adopted a bear and had to let him go soon into the wilderness.

The girl had a hard time though as the story went on there were incidents wherein she was forced to finally have to let go off the bear ‘boog’. She had dropped him off where he would be safe from the hunters for the day of the OPEN SEASON is near.

Open Season is an event where hunters could legally hunt for 3 days in the wilderness. Terrible circumstances led Boog to the hunters’ ground. This is where all the animals worked together to defeat the hunters’, give them a taste of their own medicine. Here is where the irony of hunting was shown in the movie.

The film was brilliantly done. It demonstrated animal harassment in the simplest form wherein it could reach the understanding of the younger generations and the adults. I believe that films are not just for entertainment but there are lessons and awareness to attain.

So the next time that we watch or see a film, let’s read between the line.

I call it ART

I always wanted to be an “artist”. Someone who is different. Someone who thinks outside the box. Surprising isn't it? Well I have stop believing that I can be one because I know it is innate. It is something you can not learn to do. Well yes maybe you can learn it but the product is still significantly different from the work of a natural-born artist. Hence, Art became one of my frustratons in life.

I have always thought that anything can be labeled as art as long as it is different or unique. Art pieces are the ones that stand out. Yes maybe it’s true for some. But in reality, uniqueness is not the only basis.

In the first sessions of our Art Appreciation Class, we were asked to bring an object that we consider Art. Ignorant about the standards, I brought a caricature of my boyfriend & I. Indeed, it has an interesting form but it does not meet the universal standards of an art piece. Nonetheless, I still consider it as an art. Why? Well probably one of the reasons is that I can relate to the piece. I often experience having to stare at an “art piece” and not seeing the art in it because I can’t relate my self to it.

There are standards to be considered in determining if the object is an art or not. The two most important standards are the form and universal substance. And on that note, two of the numerous forms of art are comic strip and film.

As a kid, I have always enjoyed reading comic books especially Arhcie. My love for Archie can be accounted for the fact that it's not boring at all. Some will agree to me when I say that reading is quite a hassle sometimes. But on this particular comic book, every story is different from the other. It fascinates me how the writer/s can think of endless stories about these groups of young people. In addition to that, the form itself gets me going! the visuals, the colors, the settings etc.. And most importantly, I can relate to the characters! Unfortunately, I stopped reading comic books. I got lazy reading. Hence, I got myself into watching tv series. There is the movement factor that sets it apart from comic strips. Instinctively we know that life denotes movement, thus people saw real life in films. And just like in any form of Art, film has its own particular elements that make it unique from all the rest. These elements (positon of the camera, characters, setting, story line etc..) we sometimes don't take notice of. Because of my Art appreciation class, I learned that becoming aware of these elements and the difficult process of creating a film make us more appreciable of this form of art!