What is art? What does it mean to be creative? To be expressive? To capture the soul, the essence of a moment?
I doubt these answers lie within any cortex of the brain. They are not answerable through logical analysis or rationalizing. Yet all of us know these answers. They are as tangible as the taste of salt in the air near the sea. They are as indescribable, as enticing and as invigorating. I think they lie within the heart, or more likely the soul. There is a little jolt of pleasure one feels when one sees an object of true beauty. A brief but very certain moment of recognition, when one understands what the artist conveys. If the artist is good enough, this moment can last a lifetime and within it capture a deep understanding of ourseleves.
A timeless masterpiece of art is a thing of wonder. We all know life can be tremendously beautiful. Whether it be the moors at twilight, the Sahyadris at evensong or a beautiful lady captured in a moment of mysterious laughter. These are things we as lay people see everyday and appreciate to the best of our abilities. The thoughts that pass through our mind are preserved and treasured. Some of us go far enough to encase them in words, song or image. Some of us manage to convey that moment of wonder well enough for people to appreciate and share our understanding.
And then there are some that can bring that wonder right into our lives. They can capture that breathtaking moment with such vividity and clarity that they bring to us and our souls the very moment of life they entrapped. We live through them. We love through them. We discover parts of our lives through them.
Our understanding and interpretation varies. The relevance of these images varies from person to person. The note that is struck within the soul varies. But we know when we see these true works of art. We know they are beyond interpretations and understandings. They stand alone as expressions that touch our lives. They mysteriously change something within ourseleves just a little. A little tweak that leaves us the better to have seen, the better to have experienced.
The fact that a stroke of paint, a block of marble can influence us so profoundly. It may be evidence for a facet of humanity that cannot be explained by biochemistry. That cannot be predicted or determined by genes. That in itself, makes us free.
