On October 22, Whiteboard Journal hosted our fourth We Discuss meeting at Kinokuniya Plaza Senayan. Despite the traffic, a solid group of participants came and shared their opinions on art.

While “art” is an extremely broad word is by no means an easy subject to talk about, the fact that its elements can be found in just about any discipline, it is something that many can relate to. Below are the main points mentioned of the discussion:

– There are two ways to define of art: 1.) the institutional definition (as validated by museums, galleries, and individuals who are recognized as experts in the field), and 2.) the personal definition (what is relatable to each person).
– Works of art are often seen as statements (i.e. objects that communicate a particular message).
– Context is extremely important in creating, understanding, and appreciating art. It is what makes something significant and meaningful within a certain era or society.
– The problem in Indonesia is that there is a tendency to create without putting too much attention to the local context.
– The creative process – that is, the process of making a piece of art – requires more than the artist’s skills, as it also entails the need to nurture a particular sensitivity to one’s surroundings.
– At this point, honesty is more important than originality. Artists ought to be open about what inspires them and influences their work.
– According to the personal definition of art, it comes down to being honest to oneself instead of pleasing others (although with whom one intends to share the artwork with is also an important factor).
– Art is a person’s attempt to turn his or her feelings into something tangible.
– The purpose of an artwork changes the process.
– Representative vs. non-representative art
– In some cases, it might be a good idea to avoid overanalyzing art since not all works of art contain a hidden meaning.
– Art does not always have to be aesthetically pleasing. It is more about how it affects people emotionally.
– In the end, “Art is not supposed to make you think, it’s supposed to make you feel.”

We would like to thank those who came and contributed to the fourth We Discuss meeting. We hope to see you again in future discussions. Look out for announcements about next month’s discussion on architecture on our website, Facebook page, as well as our Twitter and Instagram account!