Art and Manipulation

31 May

Art is a strange thing when you stop to think about it. What is it for? That’s rather large question. The bottom of which may never be truly found. Certainly we can say that art may entertain, inform, edify, provoke, and operate in easily half a dozen other ways upon us. But I would like to suggest that all art is in some way manipulative. Now, that may sound derogatory, because we instinctually resist being manipulated, but when it comes to art, we actually seek it out.

I’ve come to view it this way: Bad art leaves you feeling manipulated, good art leaves you unaware of the manipulation, and great art leaves you elevated from the manipulation.

Often what constitutes “bad” art in our minds, is anything where we feel the manipulation more than the intended message. We turn to art to explore subtleties that reveal deeper truths. Its a clever tool to disarm us so that we can receive truth in a new way. It’s why George Orwell gave us “1984” and “Animal Farm”, instead of writing out a political manifesto. Stories invite us to become personally invested in a way that is more difficult than wrote facts. Through art, you become empathetic to viewpoints that you may naturally be resistant to considering. So when we encounter art whose viewpoints are thinly veiled, we feel manipulated. That is, we feel pressed upon by the process rather than the message. We try and suspend our disbelief, but when we see the wires in the magic show, it all comes crashing down and we feel slighted.

Good art is more skillful. It thoughtfully weaves it’s viewpoint into the fabric of the craft. A message that’s organically intertwined with the mode of expression has a much better chance at penetrating our hearts and minds. We can accept it and enjoy it. It feels right, comforting, or entertaining. It changes us in some way. We have some visceral emotional response to what we are  experiencing. That art is also manipulating us. It is causing a reaction. But in this case, we enjoy the process.

Great art goes even further. It leaves a lasting impression on us. It changes us in such a way that we never see the world quite the same again. There are some experiences I’ve had with artwork that leave an emotional impression on me that lasts for days, and have transformed my way of thinking for a lifetime. In some ways perhaps, when we experience great art, we are aware of the manipulation once again, but it feels inevitable, almost intrinsic to both the artwork and ourselves. Great art seems to reveal something deep within ourselves that we didn’t even know was there.

When we create art, we should be aware that we are inviting others to be manipulated on some level. And as Voltaire (and Uncle Ben) said, “with great power, comes great responsibility.” We should strive to create work that allows others to see truth from a new perspective. The “artifice” in our art should remove the natural barriers that have risen up from our past experiences. And since our audience has so graciously allowed themselves to be manipulated, we should be offering them something of lasting value.

So while this post is not “great art” I do hope that any manipulation you’ve experienced has left you changed for the better in some small way.