Carla O'Harris
November 15th, 2006, 07:22 PM
Oscar Wilde, a man certainly in touch with Faerie in many ways, said,
All that I desire to point out is the general principle that life imitates art far more than art imitates life.
Aristotle said,
"Art completes what nature cannot bring to finish"
Oscar Wilde, again, said,
People tell us that Art makes us love Nature more than we loved her before; that it reveals her secrets to us; and that after a careful study of Corot and Constable we see things in her that had escaped our observation. My own experience is that the more we study Art, the less we care for Nature. What Art really reveals to us is Nature's lack of design, her curious crudities, her extraordinary monotony, her absolutely unfinished condition. Nature has good intentions, of course, but, as Aristotle once said, she cannot carry them out. When I look at a landscape I cannot help seeing all its defects. It is fortunate for us, however, that Nature is so imperfect, as otherwise we should have had no art at all. Art is our spirited protest, our gallant attempt to teach Nature her proper place. (emphasis mine)
Each of these contrasting viewpoints is worthy of consideration. The first viewpoint sees the function of art as enhancing our appreciation for nature.
What are the relationships between Nature and Art? Should Art -- and by this, let us mean all artifice -- imitate Nature, or force Nature into its molds? Or is Nature the model that we improve upon?
I ask this because the Fairie realm has traditionally been related both to natural areas and to artistic creation. They are tremendous artists and craftsmyn. How do they create, and what is its relationship to nature? How do they create with Nature? How do their crafts reflect Nature? How do they complete Nature? Is there something missing in Nature that must be completed?
It's important to point out that while some of Wilde's sentiments may indeed come from an inborn connection to the Fae, some of his sentiments vis-a-vis artifice versus nature stem precisely from an overly domesticated narcissism, as indicated here :
Everything is subordinated to us, fashioned for our use and our pleasure. Egotism itself, which is so necessary to a proper sense of human dignity is entirely the result of indoor life. Out of doors one becomes abstract and impersonal. One's individuality absolutely leaves one. And then Nature is so indifferent, so unappreciative. Whenever I am walking in the park here, I always feel that I am no more to her than the cattle that browse on the slope, or the burdock that blooms in the ditch.
How do you think the Fairies would adjucate these dilemmas?
All that I desire to point out is the general principle that life imitates art far more than art imitates life.
Aristotle said,
"Art completes what nature cannot bring to finish"
Oscar Wilde, again, said,
People tell us that Art makes us love Nature more than we loved her before; that it reveals her secrets to us; and that after a careful study of Corot and Constable we see things in her that had escaped our observation. My own experience is that the more we study Art, the less we care for Nature. What Art really reveals to us is Nature's lack of design, her curious crudities, her extraordinary monotony, her absolutely unfinished condition. Nature has good intentions, of course, but, as Aristotle once said, she cannot carry them out. When I look at a landscape I cannot help seeing all its defects. It is fortunate for us, however, that Nature is so imperfect, as otherwise we should have had no art at all. Art is our spirited protest, our gallant attempt to teach Nature her proper place. (emphasis mine)
Each of these contrasting viewpoints is worthy of consideration. The first viewpoint sees the function of art as enhancing our appreciation for nature.
What are the relationships between Nature and Art? Should Art -- and by this, let us mean all artifice -- imitate Nature, or force Nature into its molds? Or is Nature the model that we improve upon?
I ask this because the Fairie realm has traditionally been related both to natural areas and to artistic creation. They are tremendous artists and craftsmyn. How do they create, and what is its relationship to nature? How do they create with Nature? How do their crafts reflect Nature? How do they complete Nature? Is there something missing in Nature that must be completed?
It's important to point out that while some of Wilde's sentiments may indeed come from an inborn connection to the Fae, some of his sentiments vis-a-vis artifice versus nature stem precisely from an overly domesticated narcissism, as indicated here :
Everything is subordinated to us, fashioned for our use and our pleasure. Egotism itself, which is so necessary to a proper sense of human dignity is entirely the result of indoor life. Out of doors one becomes abstract and impersonal. One's individuality absolutely leaves one. And then Nature is so indifferent, so unappreciative. Whenever I am walking in the park here, I always feel that I am no more to her than the cattle that browse on the slope, or the burdock that blooms in the ditch.
How do you think the Fairies would adjucate these dilemmas?