What is TRUE ART? by Maidy Morhous
True Art is the self-expression of dreams, observations and opinions of the world around us. Creativity is the ability to transcend traditional ideas, rules, patterns, relationships, or the like, and to create meaningful new ideas, forms, methods, interpretations, etc.; originality, progressiveness, or imagination.
There are many individuals gifted in their display of realistic renderings of everyday objects; they can draw, paint or sculpt a human that is so real even the goose bumps the model is feeling are seen, but is this true art? Yes, it is art, but what are lacking is their self-expression, opinion and creative aspect to the subject; they are merely reproducing what they see.
True art I believe goes beyond the text book classe of life drawing, painting or sculpting. It dwells in the artist expressing and exposing themselves to their viewer.
An example; in my “Mirror Mirror” series of bronze sculptures that examine the world and the lasting impression society inflicts upon its people; from ragging wars in the Middle East, gay rights, refugees fleeing their homeland, to the lasting ideals of an unattainable self-image; through a series of fourteen (14) bronze sculptures. “Mirror Mirror” presents art as an act of resistance to the oppression of socially, inscribed narratives and a socially dominating practice. The artwork is embedded in social critique, featuring works that question position and identities. The bronzes exhibit great experimentation with technique, and medium.
Sculptor Maidy Morhous is caught between tensions of being and nothingness, her artwork features women breaking loose of their restraints in society as portrayed in “Zip it!” and Coming Out Party”. “Hanging Out #1,#2” presents a male torso and derriere hanging from a clothes line; as if they are exchangeable “clothing” for the social expectations. “Inside Out” a simplified female side view whose backside hollows to abstraction, symbolizing the shallowness of beauty. The exhibition perceives social restraints as a pensive man considers crossing a double line in “Repressive Society”. Bullying, racism, delinquency, discrimination, family disintegration, drug addiction, poverty and homelessness break forth in “Social Ills” presented by an overly depressed gaunt man sitting in turmoil atop a pile of cement rubble.
The artwork screams for the viewer to feel the emotional strings of the depressed through the crying out of those who do not fit within the profile of society’s constrained image. The monster in the closet is humanity turning a deaf ear to the cries of those labeled as social ills to the public. Issues in the works are gathered around a dichotomy of self and artistic intent; one who views these works will come away questioning our social image.
What is “True Art” – self-expression!
