ART: The Impasse

Keshav Malik

Given, that between a projected target and an aspirant. The soil-sport shadow, intrudes frequently, one ought to perhaps turn a blind eye to such lacunae as beset most human undertaking. Add to this impasse, the thought that the activity of art cannot in all good be realistically modeled on the pattern of profit-aimed industrial production, and you know you perforce have to learn to live with the moodiness of what at base is an unworldly calling. The prevalence of art institutions is no doubt valuable in midwifing creativity manifest itself, but – – and finally – -even these bodies cannot ensure the surfacing of the genuine article. By sounding a skeptical note vis-a-vis the question of art, it is not suggested that its materialization is hopelessly mysterious. Rather that those realities, or unrealities, in the socio-cultural sphere, as seemingly appear inapplicable to the art process, are in fact potent factors as can make or botch the spirit of art at any given moment of time. It would be presumptuous to narrate this peninsula’s saga of the last hundred years, suffice however to say that despite the mouthing of noble platitudes post-independence, the overall polity of the country is still awaiting to receive its baptism in the fire of mind-blowing, disinterested life-aims. The highly motivated economic man is certainly there for all to see, and self-regarding life —models have come a-plenty, especially after liberalization. Thus the proliferation of the new middle class, of a kind. But the spirit of art – – the arts – – needs quite some other form of initiation. Formal education, as it is now obtained is more statistic and in numerical signs than human speech and by the very logic of its concerns legitimizes value neutrality, and which value, of no value, then appears to inform the public sphere as well. It is doubtful if the arts will really prosper under such an aseptic regimen. Artists- – or the artistic spirit- – have a crying need to exceed the small self, imaginatively, and that in directions in which are visible no rewards or social acclaim.