It has been a while since I have visited an art piece from a strictly artistic perspective, so I wanted to revisit one of my favorite paintings of all time, Gericault’s “Raft of the Medusa.” I can’t particularly say why it is my favorite. Perhaps, it is mostly due to the fact that I can feel the victim’s emotions every time I see it. I can feel the water receding after the first impact, hear the sucking sounds around crowding bodies and sinking raft as my clothes are drenched and cling to my body. And being an avid sea-lover, I can feel my stomach surge, the impending lurch, almost with manic anticipation, as I brace myself for the crash that is about to set in with the oncoming wave. I love that...I miss that; paintings that suck you in and envelope you in a singular moment that stands out in your memory upon every re-visitation.
Over the centuries there has been a significant shift in the perspective of art. Do a Google search. Look up 18th and 19th Century paintings. Historically, you will see these grandiose images of epic battles, rolling hills, massive landscapes with multiple focal points and participants. Now look up 21st Century art, or better yet, Google Pop Art. Stark contrast. The shift has transferred from panning out to zooming in, the widescreen shot to the up close and personal, from the collective to the individual. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but the shift has increased the glorification and idealization of the individual and this is a grossly exaggerated version of man/woman. Andy Warhol is a prime example of an artist who pushed this new agenda...
I see this mindset in our culture every day. Think about how logos have been so simplified and streamlined. Many companies design their insignias to reflect the shape of an iphone app. I fear our focus grows narrower and narrower every day with a mounting addiction to identity. We are married to our phones, our laptops, and a steady stream of media. Consider the constant tweets, texts, status updates, facebook check-ins (guilty!) we insist on making on a daily (sometimes hourly) basis. I’m all for having a healthy awareness of self, but let it be tempered with perspective. Let us not sacrifice our scope of influence by allowing self to be our only focus. Allow yourself to take a step back from time to time to take in the full picture. Zooming in too closely without allowing room to breathe or gain perspective gives us a warped perception of our own significance in the grand scheme of things.
I see this mindset in our culture every day. Think about how logos have been so simplified and streamlined. Many companies design their insignias to reflect the shape of an iphone app. I fear our focus grows narrower and narrower every day with a mounting addiction to identity. We are married to our phones, our laptops, and a steady stream of media. Consider the constant tweets, texts, status updates, facebook check-ins (guilty!) we insist on making on a daily (sometimes hourly) basis. I’m all for having a healthy awareness of self, but let it be tempered with perspective. Let us not sacrifice our scope of influence by allowing self to be our only focus. Allow yourself to take a step back from time to time to take in the full picture. Zooming in too closely without allowing room to breathe or gain perspective gives us a warped perception of our own significance in the grand scheme of things. 
Good post! Keep the posts coming... t is fun to read about art from an artist's perspective. Lots of love, Loree-Lynn
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