Why make art?
One answer is to develop the inner lives at a time when everything is focused on the outer (having) and not enough on the inner (being). Art facilities inner growth.
In a materialistic consumer society, to create is useless unless one commodifies it. But to create has an intrinsic value. It cultivates spiritual or inner growth and identity.
Art has an intrinsic value of cultivating the inner life.
In a time, we desperately need our inner lives to catch up with the outer society—ethically, imaginational, emotionally and spiritually-art is a key practice to cultivating the human heart.
As MLK said our hearts need to catch up with our technology so we can use them for good.
The art of being is facilitated by making art.
We don’t just make art to become, but when we make art we free ourselves up and make ourselves available for Divine transformation.
Art there has to be coached in a philosophy of history and what it is to be human. If art is propaganda for ideology, it’s not art.
Art is something deeper that starts with the inner and changes the outer. We are, therefore we create. Identity precedes calling or vocation in the world.
Art in this way is a form of spiritual contemplation. It is choosing to develop our inner lives to affect our outer worlds.
Start inside, then act outwards. Content precedes contact with the world.
In a commodifying culture, the product is more important than the content. We want to be part of reversing that trend in humanity.
To be is still the quest-ion. If we are being, then we will do things which gives more metaphysical space for others to be.
So, as with prayer, it is an invisible force which creates a space for others to be.
We find our names, to make room for others to find theirs.
I create partly to cultivate my inner life, and as a place to meet The Mystery inside me. Inside this mystery is my real name. “We are Hidden in Christ” and Christ is inside us and with our real selves there.
Art helps us excavate into that place of meeting, or that inner tabernacle.
All life comes from that contact space with Life within us. And also That Life is around us in others and the world-or nature.
But we begin by descending, by scuba diving towards the “inner most being” to meet Being. And art is like an underwater canoe or scuba tank. And yes, along the way there are many sharks and sting rays-and many artist stop there and take photos and paint the specters. But that is not where to stop. Keep plunging deeper, until all you see in Love. There is your name.
Where your name meets The Namer, that is home. And art guides us towards that home.
Art helps us have an I-thou, relationship with ourselves firstly as poems of God actively being pronounced! Then by extension we begin to see The Thou all around us in others and the world. If we only see ourselves as a commodity, we see ourselves as a product to be bought and sold, used. If we begin to see ourselves as a poem of God, we treat others likewise—as God’s poetry.
Art facilities this transition into the “new creation”, and we strangely become like Adam collaborators in naming ourselves and the world.
So, art is an act of faith which believes that people matter and identity exist and is good and valuable. Not meant to be used, but meant to be loved.
We are all beloved and included in The Beloved’s loving family. We enter inside the relational Trinity of His Being.
Why make art? Starts with the question-what are we doing here? We are obviously becoming who we are by finding out where we came from, and where we are going—ie by meeting God. One method of meeting God is making art.
Art is an ontology, or way of being.