I came across a few wonderful pieces of sculpture recently. They were so good that I looked, scrolled passed, then back for a closer look. I proceeded to dig for the artist , which is actually rare for me as I tend to care more about the work than the one who created it. Ironic, isn't it? Anyway, I discovered it was one of my favorite artists, Isamu Noguchi. I couldn't believe I've never seen these pieces before!
It got me thinking about other artists who repeatedly capture me with their work, even if I can't initially recognize it as theirs. For example, I will always love Giuseppe Zanotti shoes even when I don't know who designed them. Same goes for Pink Floyd, Alexander Calder, Georgia O'Keeffe, and a number of other artists of various genres. My familiarity with the particular work may be nil, but I will always love it then investigate who made it only to discover it's almost always one of my faves.
Obviously there's something more to style than can be articulated. There's something so deeply skilled within the expressions of these artists that they are subconsciously recognizable even when they're not so consciously. In other words, I may not know who did it on the surface, but my subconscious mind obviously recognizes some consistent attributes and deems those skilled above all others. By default, these will be more respected works/artists.
The arts are wonderful for that reason... they can effortlessly seep into you and become part of your fabric. That's precisely why I think individual artists should be socially responsible with their output. Not every idea an artist has is fit to exist and influence. While I don't believe in sensorship on a social level, I do on a personal level. Just because one has a thought doesn't mean it should be expressed as a word, a song, a painting, fashion, etc.
The higher level artists impact the world by default. We should always take care in who well let rise to such powerful positions, and we should know beyond doubt that they are concientious and empathetic people. These creators are a significant part of social influence and create much more than art.
