Mehretu’s Dispersion
Human being expresses their feelings and ideas in different ways.Sometimes they communicate orally and other times they use actions asexpressions of what they feel. Some of the expressions are noteffective when they are orally presented. People, therefore, usedrawings, songs, stories and poems (Dissanayake 3). From thesepresentations, other people can understand the feelings of others.While looking at these pieces of work, one can also understand thecontext in which the writer or the painter was in while expressingtheir ideas. Art is one of the oldest methods of expressing feelings.Different people define art differently. In general, it includescarvings, drawings, paintings, songs and other compositions thatexpress the feeling of an artist. I define art as the consciousrepresentation of reality in an uncontrolled flow of life models withan intention of improving humanity.
My Definition and Impact of Art
My definition of art inclines towards the intentions of the artists.When they start painting, drawing or composing a given piece, theyhave an idea at the back of their mind. It is, therefore, possible toanalyze these pieces and deduce the idea of the artists. I alsoconsider it to be a conscious representation of reality becauseartists work to express the prevailing conditions in a given society.For example, where there is no equality or injustice, artists arefast to express their ideas towards the issue without bias. However,it is possible for the non-critical analyst to misinterpret art(Dissanayake 6).
Most of the expressions are require a deep analysis and they may befull of symbolism, irony, and metaphorical representations. Also, artcan be about an individual who may be an icon in the society. Thefeatures that the artists wish to express when preparing a paintingof a given individual are conscious and real (Eldridge 4). Some ofthe priceless pieces of art represent famous people in givencommunities. The materials used, the features of the subject,clothing among others reflect the reality of life in the context inwhich the art was made. By looking at them, people can understanddifferent aspect of life from the art’s context.
Additionally, I consider most of the art to have the objective ofimproving humanity through helping people have a deep understandingof various situations. Artists are critical in their analysis andthey trigger a similar analysis in their audience. Artists are hailedfor their fearless unearthing of injustices in the society. Someartists have been at loggerheads with various institutions forcriticizing them in the public domain. Through the artists, membersof the public become aware of the issues affecting their lives.Mehretu’s painting appears to solve the problem of orientation intodifferent cultures. While some people believe that it can bedifficult to live among people in a other continents other than theirown, Mehretu’s art exhibits that it is possible to travel and liveamong different populations.
Dispersion
I consider Julie Mehretu`s Dispersion painted in 2002 as oneof the modern pieces of art that communicate volumes of ideas onglobalization and multiculturalism. Julie uses crisscrossing linespainted in different colors to join various points. Beneath the lineslies other thinner ones depicting building plans and layouts. To aperson who may be opposed to art or fast to dismiss complicated art,Mehretu’s piece would be just a drawing of someone passing the timewith her brushes. I believe it is one of the reasons why this pieceof art did not gain popularity. According to my definition of art, itis real and conscious (Walk Art Center). Mehretu’s painting depictsthe reality of her life and that of others like her who haveexperienced different cultures.
Analysis of Dispersion
Julie Mehretu’s has been exposed to different cultures in her life.She is of Ethiopian Nativity and her parents raised her in Michigan,United States. She undertook her studies in Senegal, Rhodes Islandand later in New York where she currently resides (Walk Art Center).It is no surprise, therefore, that her work incorporates a series ofthe dynamic representation of urban designs. The crisscrossing linesin her painting depicts international mobility that people can havefrom one destination to another. For example, the pattern of linesrepresents the different journeys she had made in the various partsof the world. She appreciates the different orientations and shedepicts it by presenting the different building layouts andsimplified international movements.
Mehretu uses her story to present the various architectural designsand symbols (Walk Art Center). From my definition of art, the variouspieces depict reality in the community. The long lines combiningdifferent points in the painting depict how fast globalization hastaken place. As a modern artist, the painting could not be morerelevant. Mehretu has experienced the culture of different placesthrough a series of movements. She presents both public and privatefacilities she has encountered in her multi-cultural experience.These common facilities are common in most countries. From them,visitors can understand the social-cultural practices of the natives. narrative is inscribed in the decontextualized markings in thepaintings.Mehretu creates a perfect metaphor to express theinterconnected and complex character of the 21st century usingwell-articulated lines.
Also, from my definition of art, I believe that the goal of theartists is to improve lives. Drawing from Mehretu’s painting thelines depicting buildings layouts and interconnected routes depictshow possible it is for individuals to move around the world. Theeffects of globalization sometimes require people from differentbackgrounds to interact through education and employment among othersocial functions. Mehretu’s painting and her life are exemplarydepictions of the possibility of such movements. The lines joiningthe various destinations portray the importance of getting intocontact with the external world. People can share ideas with othersfrom various backgrounds by exploiting the rich network.
Choosing Mehretu’s Dispersion as a one of my favorite piecesof art depicts my personality, and my expectation of an ideal world,in the 21st century. First, the physical barriers that divide peopleare fast fading away. The increased movement is being facilitated bymodern means of transport and communication. I believe that there isa need for a global association for people to acquire new ideas fromdifferent places. For example, Mehretu’s education in Senegal andRhodes Island exposed her to different environments and cultures. Ibelieve that the cultural practices associated with communities fromdifferent parts of the world can be understood if people get intocontact with them. I have friends from various parts of the world,and we interact both physically and through the online platform. WhenI get enough resources and time, I am determined to visit thedifferent parts of the world and take advantage of globalization.
In conclusion, art speaks volumes of ideas. Art is the consciousrepresentation of reality in an uncontrolled flow of life models withan intention of improving humanity. The different forms of art thatpeople use to express their feelings have a primary objective ofpresenting reality and analyzing life to improve it. Mehretu’sDispersion stands out as an iconic painting of the 21stcentury, although many people have not appreciated it. The linescrisscrossing in the painting indicate the way one can travel acrosscultures with ease in the 21st century. I believe that he painting isan ideal representation of the changes taking place in the world thatpeople should embrace to improve their lives. Experiencing differentcultures can greatly change people’s perception towards each otherand promote global peace. The goal of improving people`s lives couldbe idealized through such activities
Works Cited
Dissanayake,Ellen. What is art for? Seattle: University of WashingtonPress, 2015. Print.
Eldridge,Richard. An introduction to the Philosophy of Art. UnitedKingdom: Cambridge University Press, 2014. Print.
Walk Art Center.Julie Mehretu: Drawing Into Painting. Walk Art Center ExhibitionGallery 2003. Web. 12 May 2016.