Art establishes the basic human truths which must serve as the touchstone of our judgment

“…Art establishes the basic human truths which must serve as the touchstone of our judgment.” John F. Kennedy

The arts are popping up all over the news these days, both locally and nationally. While the anxiety around our Cleveland Orchestra has died down for the moment, its example is hardly unique to Cleveland or even to America. Several large orchestras are facing similar challenges, and we are all aware of arts organizations, both large and small, that have had to make major sacrifices or are teetering on the brink of extinction. How is a concerned supporter/patron of the arts supposed to react to the ongoing issue of keeping our artistic and cultural heritage alive?

Some choose to decry that we are already on the path to ruin, or to claim an inevitable outcome: a community and nation bereft of original, time-honored, or expressive art. A world in which the vast majority is focused on pop culture geared towards a common denominator and indulging in offerings oriented for mass consumption, while only the ever-shrinking elite can afford and enjoy “high art”. This is a real Barbarians at the Gate mindset: an oft-cited example of the natural evolution of a truly open and free society, where all consumption is ultimately defined by the middle-focused masses. It’s used in tandem with a warning that we’re losing our way, and that in a world where American Idol is the ultimate definition of cultural expression, there’s no more room for Live from the Met.

I’m not ready to jump on the “end of the cultural world” bandwagon yet, however, just as I’m not going to say that everything’s fine and dandy in the creative world, thank you. To me, the key is to remain open to ever-changing definitions of what constitutes art while not abandoning that which has come before. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to grasp that every generation will demand some leeway to define its own tastes and preferences, and that it’s in the natural order of things for those preferences to reject some of what was favored in the past. But there is also some obligation on the part of those of us who are no longer on the cutting edge of cultural definition to be open to that rejection, and to understand that over time some of it will gain a whiff of legitimacy. I struggle with this concept as much as anyone: I could not necessarily tell you what defines gallery-worthy visual art in 2010, but I can explain in great detail why the works of Renoir are considered masterpieces.

I used to take a group of 3rd through 5th graders to the Cleveland Museum of Art each year as part of an art class, and I always ended my tour in the contemporary art section. Invariably during that part of the tour, the kids would ask, “Why is this painting good enough to be in the museum?” They had no traditional reference for judgment, such as,”it’s a good drawing”, or “it looks just like a horsey”. I would tell them to pick out one piece of art in the room that they liked and “tell me why.” Once they did this, I would say to the group, “We live in a time when YOU determine what a work of art is. If you like this painting, it’s a good painting, and if you don’t, then it’s not.” Simplistic, yes, but it also gets to the message of our times. Contemporary art is often about a visceral connection, linked to color and method and composition that forego literal subjects or images. If it stirs you in some way, even if it agitates or puts you off balance, it can be considered successful.

Each of us has a vast amount of information at our fingertips to better comprehend creative efforts, and we also have a tremendous amount of control over what we choose to patronize or ignore. If the concept of Cleveland losing its orchestra bothers you, yet you have never attended a concert or performance, you are not exercising your power to influence the outcome. If you lament that pot-boiler, episodic, shallow thrillers are replacing great literature, look for the new works of authors who challenge and bedevil their readers. Better yet, take your children to a chamber music concert, or read to them from Wind in the Willows, or Rabbit Hill. I believe this world has room for both American Gothic and American Idol, but that there will always be a little effort expected from each of us to explore and celebrate the difference. Take some time this leaden winter to get the lead out and discover what YOU like.

Speaking of the Cleveland Museum of Art, I have a bit of Music Settlement news from one of our very active faculty members, Ida Mercer, Chair of Strings in the Department of Music. She writes: The Music Settlement Cello Ensemble made its debut at the Cleveland Museum of Art Monday as part of their Martin Luther King Day events. I was SO very proud of them! They played twice through their 30-minute set at a high level and with lots of energy and focus (my favorite combination). And the CMA was literally flooded with people. It was exciting for the kids to be part of such a populated affair.

Excitement, high energy, and a crowd of people - sounds like real art is happening!