The Indian Artist: Emotion in Art

“A work of art that did not begin in emotion is not art” ~ Paul Cezanne

The true reason why I have always been drawn to art, regardless of its form, is the depth of emotion that can be delivered. We have all heard that a picture is worth a thousand words. For me, this adage is one that I make sure to always keep in mind when I am creating a piece. This is why I have always felt a strong disconnect from abstract, suggestive, and nonobjective modes of art. Rather, I divulge in conceptual art that strikes a different chord in every person.

For me, I feel connected to a creation when I am caught in the moment and experience something so visceral and real that I have to take another look, that I have to stare for just a minute longer. For me, this comes from art that has deep meaning and intent behind it. This pertains to any form of art whether it be music, dance, or painting. Something that is done with intention and feeling, that is something that deserves to be celebrated.

 

Art needs to be felt, not only seen…

 

Bête Noire is an original piece of mine done in ink, with dimensions of 8″x 11″. It was my dive into a literal form of expressive art. Dictated by a prompt given to me in my high school art course, I wanted to take my fear of spiders to a different level, a place where the viewer cringes and feels something deep within themselves. My goal in this piece was to not only develop my technical skills but also to create work that can evoke emotion.

My mother hates looking at this drawing and recoils, while my best friend winces but never diverts her gaze. As odd as it may sound, I have never rejoiced so much to have people look away when I showed them my art. How do you feel when you look at the drawing? Do you think that I succeeded in my goal?

As always, if anything that I discussed in this post stood out or if any questions arise please feel free to comment and share your thoughts!

 

 

~ Riya

 

Personal website:   https://riyarts.weebly.com/

Riya A

My name is Riya and I am currently a Senior at U of M studying Molecular Biology with a double minor in Art & Design and Sociology on the pre-med track. Art has been a huge passion of mine from a very young age and in the final iteration of my column, I look forward to sharing my passions as they connect to my culture, medicine, and art.

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