Mary Small
The Visual Idea: By Dr. Mary C. Saleeby Ph.D
The Visual Idea: By Dr. Mary C. Saleeby Ph.D.
As an Art History Professor, the question that comes up on a daily basis is “What is art and why is it so important”?
Theoretically, there are many answers to this question however the one that I put great credence into would be the fact that art is a momentous Historical Documentation. It gives us a visual idea of the world and its inhabitants dating back thousands of years. It allows individuals the benefit of interpreting and envisioning the world without written testimony.
Throughout time art styles emulated, copied and transformed within the same subject matter. Although there might have been artistic variations, it was constructed from an original primary visual and modernized and evolved itself throughout the years.
What is exciting is when we view art and try to presume what the piece is telling us. We wonder if the work is the story of someone’s life, an account of a daily activity, a religious belief or a sacred ritual. In many cases we are unsure however it allows us to use our imaginations and derive at an intellectual evaluation.
My class begins with Prehistory and the mystifying “Venus of Willendorf”. 24,000-22,000 BC. At first the class reluctantly comments on this curious figure however when they do, the discussion becomes endless. (If you are not familiar with her please refer to an image) Venus of Willendorf is a famous sculpture that was discovered by an archeologist in 1908 in a small village near Willendorf Austria. She measures approximately 4 3/8 inches tall and displays a corpulent naked body. This depiction has always been associated with childbearing whether in sculpture or painting. What is bizarre is the fact that in any portable sculptures that were found resembling Venus she was never shown with a face nor did she ever have feet. The logical explanation for this would be that she is equated with being a sexual object and not just a person. An object of fertility and ritual ceremonies for childbearing therefore facial features and feet are unnecessary. The exciting idea that this sculpture was created from a visual concept must make one marvel at the thought that even thousands of years ago the visual imagination was creating for aesthetic pleasure or documentation. Venus is beautiful in her own right she also possesses great spiritual power if speculation is correct regarding her presence. Whether she is only a statuette or a sculpture of documentation for prehistoric civilization she warrants cognition. When my lecture comes to an end I ask my students the age old question, “Could it be possible that Venus of Willendorf was just a doll? And the excitement conversation begins all over again.
Therefore, when we ask ourselves what is art and why is it so important we must try to comprehend the bigger picture and appreciate the beauty, dissect what we see while intellectually speculating and understand that everything came from an idea, a creative process that was once just a thought in someone’s mind. If we can do that we can understand the importance of preserving art and greatly appreciating it because of the Historical value it contributes to wonderful world beginning as the visual image.
Copyright 2009: Mary C. Saleeby Ph.D.
About the Author
Dr. Mary Saleeby holds a BFA, MFA and Ph.D. in Art History with a Certification in Egyptology. She is an Art History Professor in New York City and gives Private lectures in various museums. You can visit her at http://www.marysaleebyphd.com
Sky Cries Mary – Small Town
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