I divide art simply into 2 groups. That which is beautiful in and of itself and that which is beautiful and then presents me with questions, something to consider. Here is an example of the beautiful.
The Beautiful
This print is small only about 6×6 inches. It is stunning. It captures the delicacy and life of the rose even without color. I bought this print purely for its beauty. It doesn’t need a title. It is what it is, beauty.
The Beautiful with Comments and or Questions embedded.
This print of mine I also consider to be beautiful. It has color and form and all it requires to be beautiful. It also has a subtext that must be determined by the viewer. If the meaning is not gleaned it will function just fine on its beauty. On the other hand if the subtext is discovered then it asks questions to bring a deeper meaning. In my work the title provides a partial key to the questions that underlie the image.
The title is “Two extinct species meet, each supposing the other to be more successful.” If you unravel the puzzle I hope that the visual communication is asking these questions…
What is success? Who determines success? Is money or wealth involved? Can an extinct species still be successful? How do we compare ourselves to others? What is the criteria for comparison? Are any of these comparisons valid. Etc. etc.
I believe that all art can be divided into these two groups. One is not above the other nor should either suppose the other to be more successful.