Saturday, February 17

I wrote this post out of town on February 17th:
I just attended a conference that talked specifically about beauty, art, and God. C.S. Lewis once said, "Friendship is unnecessary, like philosophy and art. It holds no value for survival, rather it gives survival more value." I want to discuss what C.S. Lewis had to say about art. Even if you do not believe in God, this can still touch you, and maybe even challenge you. I do believe in God, and believe fervently in his prescence in art as well as beauty in the rest of the world. He also told a story about a man who was gardening and came upon a rose and was simply astonished by its beauty. He was so touched, that he had to stop and thank the Lord for making this flower so beautiful. And he felt a longing, a pain, seeing this beautiful image. It was a yearning to see that flower as it was really meant to be seen, how it may look in heaven. C.S. Lewis said he has felt this pain, this longing that beauty can bring to his life, even if just for a second. And whenever possible he seeks that pain because it is such a majestic and beautiful feeling and longing. I think this is what we should strive for in art. I can say that I really am not usually a fan of experimental film, because it usually does not produce a feeling like this for me. But that is not to say that someone does not feel this way about experimental film. It could do just that for someone else. But I love to strive for that feeling of beauty so great that it is painful to see. For meaning so true that my heart reaches out to it, reciprocates it. I believe that is what art should be about.