To start, I must admit that I love the way Williams describes his ideas about art in comparison to Flannery O'Connor's fictional stories. O'Connor has always been a literary crush of mine, largely because of the way she never seems to hide bits of the truth from her readers. Her stories are often creepy or at least uncomfortable to read, but there's something warm about them. They're honest. They're real. And even though they are at times disturbing, I find them beautiful.It's this sense of reality within O'Connor's stories that I love + long for -- and this doesn't change when it comes to art. I love Williams' idea that "...what matters is the search for the internal necessity of a work" (97). I had to read this line over and over because something about it just seemed so right, but also so vulnerable. There's a purpose in what we do. There's substance behind surface, a sense of life in something that is created + shared.
Take two minutes to watch this video: Ralph Winter on Flannery O'Connor
Ralph Winters suggests that Flannery O'Connor's words are fundamentally at odds with our cultural Christianity. The cynical elements she includes in her stories are bold; they don't fit into the prettily-wrapped Gospel-holding package that we wish to maintain. However, Winters says, "If you're truthful and honest and skillful, those stories can last a very, very long time." O'Connor's words do this; they introduce meaning to this cynical world. Through narrative, they expose truth. According to Williams, "The truth creates its own form" (98).
But what does that mean? Does art always convey some truth (even something insignificant), or is truth something more-so to strive for? I'd like to think that it always does, but that like nearly anything else, the authenticity and intentionality behind it is a great determiner in its overall impact and importance... (maybe?).
According to Williams, "... the event that disrupts and questions and changes the world is precisely what obliges the artist not to try to recreate it from scratch." We don't need to distort reality in order to make things more beautiful, just as Christ is not someone/something we have to sell. Goodness can be found within the truth, because the truth inherently is good (despite what it may entail). I'm starting to think that no matter what the truth is, we don't necessarily have to be afraid of it.
Sources:
Flannery O'Connor Sketch: The Gospel Coalition: Kathleen Neilson
Grace and Necessity: Rowan Williams
Vimeo: Ralph Winter on Flannery O'Connor
It was really nice how you included a video that related to the reading. Sometimes just reading things isn't always the easiest way to learn but a video can clear everything right up.
ReplyDeleteI also like the conclusions you came to about truth and how we don't need to distort truth but just let it speak for itself. I feel like too often we just tweak things to fit our needs and that's not how the bible wants us to act.
I have never felt that beautiful precluded things from also being creepy or uncomfortable. Back in the 90's I had 2 friends who were, literally, purple. They both had massive holes in their hearts and because of the lack of oxygen they were purpleish blue at all times. It also made their finger nails look kind of creepy. Ok, I only thought one of them was beautiful, but that was because the other was a guy. They both had sparkly glorious personalities though and their beauty shone through even though they were, admittedly, a little creepy too (the girl used to always sing the Flying Purple People Eater song and said it was about her). Sadly, they both passed away shortly after graduation. That is a reality, and tragic, but beautiful because I know they are both free from pain and frustration now.
ReplyDeleteI am not sure I agree that art always conveys truth. Art can be a fantastic propaganda tool, created to convey a falsehood in order to ignite passions for a cause. For instance the Cottingley fairies, which we now look at and are shocked anyone believed it to be true, was believed for years. Girls, posing with paper cut-outs of fairies and photographing it, then saying it was real fairies. I don't know that I would say they were intending to make art, but it is considered art now, and also a great hoax (which some still actually believe!). I totally agree though that we don't need to distort reality to make things more beautiful. We can, but it isn't a requirement for something to be art.