310. Versatile Art
Some artworks are vibrant and fun and we give them our attention because they are enjoyable to experience. We gravitate towards these works because they satisfy our desires for novelty and pleasure.
Other artworks are more difficult to experience, usually because there is something challenging, bothersome, or even frightening about them. We’re more inclined to look away from these works because they disturb us. But they also show us something new about ourselves or the world, and by doing so, they help to meet our need for awareness.
Most artworks lie somewhere between these two extremes — they both please us and expand our awareness. They help to satisfy some of our desires while also meeting some of our needs.
As each person’s awareness is unique to their experience of life, certain artworks will appeal to them more or less than others. A work that is entirely focused on expanding awareness might only attract a small group of people, whereas a work that primarily supplies pleasure might reach many but leave us feeling empty since it cannot meet our deeper needs.
The most popular artworks tend to be those that are versatile enough to satisfy the desires of many while also helping us become aware of something that previously escaped our attention. The very best works can supply the beauty and truth that nourishes many different people, often by operating in different ways for audiences with different awareness. Such a work might be popular for seemingly superficial reasons, while also showing us something profound.
An artwork’s ability to broaden the awareness of its audience depends on the attention it receives. If the audience’s attention is too closed or constrained then it will be impossible for the artwork to have any effect on them. The aspects of an artwork that are most enjoyable often act as the lure that attracts the audience and opens their attention so that the work can be seen more fully. In this way, the audience gains an opportunity to discover something that they might not have otherwise allowed themselves to see.