PIECE #3 - CHECKING THE MAP

Title :  "Checking the Map"

Date :  06/02/11

Materials:  matte photo paper

 

So today I caught myself in a rather troubling state of thinking.  It is something I have occasionally found myself doing lately when I am deeply involved with something that I am passionate about.  I get into this habit of appeasing God, be it by abstaining from sin or making an effort to perform good works, in hopes that he might bless my work.  Now I do believe that God rewards faithfulness and can and will withhold blessings in order to reveal wickedness in hopes of repentance, but this mindset I find myself in is downright selfish.

This way of thinking that I sometimes slip into, attempts to shift my motivation (to do good and refrain from sin) from a sense of duty and gratitude out of the unconditional grace provided to me, to that of obtaining a certain level of success and accomplishment.  I am in danger of placing my success over that of God's kingdom. I am in danger of labeling God's blessings as "conditional."  I am in danger of serving the blessing instead of the Blesser.

-  So this block is a statement to myself and to anyone who finds themselves in the aforementioned situation.

When I create a piece of artwork, in any form, it cannot be for the purpose of serving art itself.  It needs to be in service of God, a service with His Kingdom as the benefactors.  This concept got me thinking.  What is making art for art's sake anyway?

Creating art for art's sake is just as futile as creating food for food's sake.  Food will not consume itself, nor will it benefit from itself.  Food requires a client.  The client receives nourishment from the food and the food is fulfilled as a service.  Without someone to eat the food, the food cannot be considered food.  This is the same with art. 

If art was to be created for itself then it would serve no use to anyone or anything.  It would be self sufficient, requiring no participation on our part; art would just be, void of any interaction.  Rather, it is that interaction that creates art.  Communication is what makes art possible.  Transaction from artist to patron is necessary for anything to be considered art, even if the artist is the sole patron, interaction will still be involved.

So if art requires a producer and a benefactor, then it is considered a service.  Art is created with an intent to serve an audience.  Now that service can provide many things, both in and out of our control; but for that part we can control, lets make sure it is serving God by providing an audience with His truths.  He is the one who created the notion after all.  He is the original artist, isn't he?