The true purpose of art | Aurelia Shimkus | TEDxRiga

Summary

The speaker challenges the audience's perception of art, suggesting its purpose is not solely for entertainment but to reveal a deeper, spiritual world. They discuss composer Alex and scin's evolution from accessible to abstract music, reflecting a yearning for the divine. The talk touches on the difficulty of appreciating complex art in a fast-paced world, advocating for the exploration of one's inner world through challenging art forms. It concludes with a call to embrace the transformative potential of true art, despite its demands on our souls.

Takeaways

• 🎵 The music by Alex and Scin at the beginning of the 20th century was abstract and challenging to understand, reflecting a deeper purpose of art beyond entertainment.
• 🧘 The true goal of art is to guide us towards a world that purifies and regenerates our souls, allowing us to experience states beyond our physical senses.
• 🎶 The composer's early works were more accessible and romantic, but his music evolved to become more complex and abstract, aiming to reflect an eternal and divine world.
• 🏃‍♂️ Our fast-paced modern life makes it difficult for us to appreciate complex art, as we often seek simple, easy-to-digest forms of entertainment.
• 🤔 The difficulty in appreciating abstract music stems from our fractured attention and the stress of daily life, which leaves little room for deep introspection.
• 🎶 Art, especially modernist art, challenges us to confront our inner world, which can be uncomfortable but is necessary for personal growth and soul purification.
• 👻 Scin's grand intention was to create a week-long multimedia performance in a cathedral to transform people into spirits, highlighting his ambitious vision for art's impact.
• 🚫 His grand plan was never completed due to his sudden death from a minor accident, underscoring the transient nature of life and our ambitions.
• 🌟 There is a belief in an eternal and significant other world beyond our material reality, which some artists and individuals seek to explore through their work.
• 💪 The speaker encourages the audience to embrace the challenge of engaging with profound art, promising a rewarding internal struggle and a deeper understanding of ourselves.

Q & A

What is the main goal of art according to the speaker?

The main goal of art, according to the speaker, is not to simplify and beautify everything or to entertain us, but to show us the way to another world, which helps us to purify and regenerate our souls.

Why did the speaker play a piece by Alex and Scin that was abstract and difficult to understand?

The speaker played the piece to illustrate that art can be challenging and that it is not always meant to be immediately pleasant or easy to comprehend. It serves to take us to a different, perhaps more profound, level of understanding.

How did Alex and Scin's music evolve over his lifetime?

Alex and Scin's music evolved from being easier to understand and approachable in his early works to becoming eternal and exceedingly abstract in his later years.

What does the speaker believe is the reason we find it difficult to appreciate abstract music?

The speaker believes that the difficulty in appreciating abstract music stems from our fast-paced lives, where we prefer simple and easy-to-digest music to balance our hurried existence.

What was Alex and Scin's grandest intention for his music?

Alex and Scin's grandest intention was to create a week-long multimedia performance in a gigantic Cathedral at the foothills of the Himalayas, with the aim of transforming all attendees into spirits.

How did Alex and Scin die?

Alex and Scin died suddenly from a minor accident that resulted in a bad poisoning from a scratch.

What does the speaker suggest about the nature of our existence on this planet?

The speaker suggests that our existence on this planet is temporary and insignificant, and that there is another, more eternal and significant world beyond our current reality.

What does the speaker encourage the audience to do in relation to art?

The speaker encourages the audience to find the courage to open their souls to the true works of art, even if it requires an internal struggle, as it is worth the effort.

What does the speaker mean when they say our inner awareness is not a comfortable place?

The speaker means that our inner awareness is not a comfortable place because it is where our deepest fears and 'demons' reside, which most people would prefer to avoid.

How does the speaker describe the change in Alex and Scin's musical language over time?

The speaker describes the change in Alex and Scin's musical language as becoming complicated and abstract, moving away from traditional elements like melody, harmony, and tonality.