Mankind today is witnessing the postmodern condition. We live in a world fast characterized by an overwhelming juxtaposition of imagery and artistic endeavors, filled with television channels dedicated to art, music, fashion and style. At the heart of such artistic impulse lies man’s inherent and extraordinary pursuit of creative activity whether it is in the form of lyrical verse, music, visual imagery or any other form of artwork. However our present condition also leaves us confused and perplexed at times about the ultimate meaning and ends that such art seeks to achieve. As the following lines help us understand the phenomenon at hand:
"Art for art's sake" is the usual English rendition of a French slogan, from the early 19th century, ''l'art pour l'art'', and expresses a philosophy that the intrinsic value of art, and the only "true" art, is divorced from any didactic, moral or utilitarian function.”[i]
Therefore is art ‘for art’s sake’ or does art too have a purposeful place in life, with meaning and a didactic purpose or moral vision? We often ask ourselves this question when listening to, for example, song lyrics that are completely senseless and pointless or images on screen that repeatedly seduce us under the genre of style. In one of Iqbal’s articles one can find an answer to such a question that is fast becoming an important enquiry in the lives of those perplexed with our increasing obsession with forms of art that we may find to be 'purposeless' or ‘empty’.
[Continued]
[i] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Art_for_art's_sake
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Where is the second part? :)
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