The Ancient Modern
The Importance of Modern Art / Joshua Alan Sturgill
Art is a way that the outer and inner worlds come together and are shown in their essential unity. This is true of poetry, as well as painting, music and sculpture.
In ancient/traditional art, the higher, unseen world (divine and communal) is revealed. In modern art, the lower, unseen world (animal and individual) is revealed.
Modern art, focused on representing the individual lower-self, necessarily depicts more conflict, detachment and distortion than ancient art. This is both the honesty and importance of modern art.
The modern self is, in fact, distorted. We have lost the double bond—to others and to the divine—that makes and keeps us us human. Art should reveal as clearly as possible what is happening within us, so that we can grieve, adjust and return.
