@culturaltutor ↔ @AleksandrX13 conversation
The Cultural Tutor@culturaltutor
34 views
Feb 25, 2024
~2 min read
Advertisement
The Cultural Tutor@culturaltutor
Want to know the difference between the Ancient Greeks and the Ancient Romans? Just look at their statues.
Art always tells you what a society wants to believe about itself.
So, from the Soviet Union to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, here's what art says about who we are...
Art always tells you what a society wants to believe about itself.
So, from the Soviet Union to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, here's what art says about who we are...
Aleksandr X@AleksandrX13
An intriguing post, indeed, and one that I enjoyed perusing. However, you do ignore one point - that while in general terms a culture may be judged 'en masse', art is actually the voice of the artist. It says, not what society wishes, but what the artist wishes to say. And, given freedom, an artist may even speak diametrically in opposition to the society that created him.
Let me put up one of my own statues as an example of 'my voice'. This statue is still a work in progress (a great deal of work remains to be done on it), but I have tried to merge as many of the races of the world together into a single visage here - to represent the essential oneness of humanity!
On her left shoulder will sit a phoenix - already sculpted, though not yet placed on the main figure - to represent immortality - that they human race will survive its present era of wars and conflict and hate, and win through to better tomorrows.
Behind the figure will rise a dragon, which in the East represents wisdom - to represent that humanity will, too, in time, become wise.
And finally, this figure, in its hands, will hold the very galaxies - to represent that humanity's collective mind will grow vastly in understanding, and that humanity may aspire one day to the very stars. Per aspera ad astra.
And what does this modern work of art say of the aspirations and dreams of modern man? Is the artist, then, a representative of his culture, or a mere voice crying in the wilderness?
---
Oh, I might add that my family live in Kherson, in Ukraine, and that I create this art as they are threatened by war, by shelling, as their homes are destroyed by human-created floods, and threatened by a potential nuclear holocaust.
From within the flames of war, I create art that reaffirms my faith in better futures for the human race - that reaffirms my faith in humanity.
More about this particular sculpture...
Let me put up one of my own statues as an example of 'my voice'. This statue is still a work in progress (a great deal of work remains to be done on it), but I have tried to merge as many of the races of the world together into a single visage here - to represent the essential oneness of humanity!
On her left shoulder will sit a phoenix - already sculpted, though not yet placed on the main figure - to represent immortality - that they human race will survive its present era of wars and conflict and hate, and win through to better tomorrows.
Behind the figure will rise a dragon, which in the East represents wisdom - to represent that humanity will, too, in time, become wise.
And finally, this figure, in its hands, will hold the very galaxies - to represent that humanity's collective mind will grow vastly in understanding, and that humanity may aspire one day to the very stars. Per aspera ad astra.
And what does this modern work of art say of the aspirations and dreams of modern man? Is the artist, then, a representative of his culture, or a mere voice crying in the wilderness?
---
Oh, I might add that my family live in Kherson, in Ukraine, and that I create this art as they are threatened by war, by shelling, as their homes are destroyed by human-created floods, and threatened by a potential nuclear holocaust.
From within the flames of war, I create art that reaffirms my faith in better futures for the human race - that reaffirms my faith in humanity.
More about this particular sculpture...
Aleksandr X@AleksandrX13
(2/5)
Let me show you something interesting.
This is a sculpture I was working on when russia invaded last year - work on this was interrupted by the russian invasion.
That is actually very symbolic, because this sculpture represents the driving spirit of humanity, our quest for advancement, excellence, our boundless curiosity about the cosmos, our desire to learn and to grow.
That russia's invasion should interrupt work on THIS particular sculpture is VERY symbolic.
And even more symbolic is my resuming work on this sculpture now, DESPITE russia's invasion, despite their artificial flood, despite their threat of a nuclear disaster.
By resuming work on this sculpture, by eventually completing it, I am effectively saying that the human path onwards to better tomorrows CANNOT be stopped, that despite the worst that the worst of humanity can do, human excellence and idealism WILL prevail.
---
This sculpture has been created using a very special material, and using a very organic method of creation. First, I created its bones - its skeleton. Then I added on muscles and nerves, then the skin. Now I will clothe her with flowers.
And behind her will rise a dragon, which, since ancient times has been a symbol of wisdom - the dragon is symbolic, representing humanity's own quest for wisdom.
On her shoulder will sit a phoenix, representing immortality - the fact that despite EVERYTHING all that is good and excellent amongst humanity WILL survive and prevail.
And in her hands, this sculpture will grasp entire galaxies, symbolizing my personal belief that one day the human race will ascend to the very stars.
The face of the sculpture does not represent any one race, but a merging of the races of humanity, representing my belief that all of humanity are ONE, beyond petty divisions of nation, race or creed.
---
So, in the midst of the flames of war will be born a statue that represents better futures for the human race. And there is NOTHING russia can do to stop this.
Thus, in a small way, this is russia - its mindless hate, its senseless lust for destruction - DEFEATED!!!
Let me show you something interesting.
This is a sculpture I was working on when russia invaded last year - work on this was interrupted by the russian invasion.
That is actually very symbolic, because this sculpture represents the driving spirit of humanity, our quest for advancement, excellence, our boundless curiosity about the cosmos, our desire to learn and to grow.
That russia's invasion should interrupt work on THIS particular sculpture is VERY symbolic.
And even more symbolic is my resuming work on this sculpture now, DESPITE russia's invasion, despite their artificial flood, despite their threat of a nuclear disaster.
By resuming work on this sculpture, by eventually completing it, I am effectively saying that the human path onwards to better tomorrows CANNOT be stopped, that despite the worst that the worst of humanity can do, human excellence and idealism WILL prevail.
---
This sculpture has been created using a very special material, and using a very organic method of creation. First, I created its bones - its skeleton. Then I added on muscles and nerves, then the skin. Now I will clothe her with flowers.
And behind her will rise a dragon, which, since ancient times has been a symbol of wisdom - the dragon is symbolic, representing humanity's own quest for wisdom.
On her shoulder will sit a phoenix, representing immortality - the fact that despite EVERYTHING all that is good and excellent amongst humanity WILL survive and prevail.
And in her hands, this sculpture will grasp entire galaxies, symbolizing my personal belief that one day the human race will ascend to the very stars.
The face of the sculpture does not represent any one race, but a merging of the races of humanity, representing my belief that all of humanity are ONE, beyond petty divisions of nation, race or creed.
---
So, in the midst of the flames of war will be born a statue that represents better futures for the human race. And there is NOTHING russia can do to stop this.
Thus, in a small way, this is russia - its mindless hate, its senseless lust for destruction - DEFEATED!!!
