For the Sake Of, 2016-2017
Colored Pencil, Watercolors, Found Printed Material
For the Sake Of is the first in a series of projects intended to integrate the many other subjects and areas of interest present in the human experience into art and music. This first project focuses on the intrinsic aspects of music and art without regard to other considerations outside of art or music themselves in an absolute sense, and without being overtly pedantic. In music these aspects are the relationships formed between melody, harmony, rhythm, texture, timbre, technique and form, and in art they are form, light and dark, color, composition, techniques, and textures.
Additionally, layers of the human experience are considered, including the music, object, or image itself, the point of view or perspective of the person experiencing it, effects on light and sound in nature between the observer or listener and the object or source of sound, resulting perceptual effects within the mind and its experience, the expressive elements of the work concerning feeling, those forming the artist or composer’s impression or means by which the subject of the work is represented, cognitive aspects involving thoughts or judgments about the work, spiritual aspects not ascertainable through ordinary means, additional perspectives as shared or group experiences, and in a general sense, the relationship of the work within others or of others within the work or of that between the work and reality – where one ends and the other begins, and aspects of the human experience outside of art or music and the work itself - as a consideration within the work.
Efforts have been made to maintain that any emphasis on those aspects outside the work itself are not a reason for creating the work, nor should the work result in any meaning concerning things outside the work, and should contain merely the basic elements described, though such things may be taken into consideration while creating the work. Most commonly or difficult to avoid are those concerning the approval of one’s peers however universal or exclusive, of potential romantic partners, of those with monetary interests, or use as pedagogical materials. Perhaps it is even more difficult to avoid one’s own preferences and sense of aesthetics resulting in art for the sake of one’s own pleasure or to create meaning for themselves alone. Then it is simply a matter of uncovering hidden meaning, rather than an attempt to create meaning.