Do our assumptions limit the way we view the world and art?

Author : Aysu Sultanli

"Opinion is the medium between knowledge and ignorance" - Plato.

Your perspective or way of thinking may not be completely correct, or accepted, yet it is still your perspective. Ignorance is when you don’t have any information or have very little of it. There is not much you can do with ignorance, except for assuming things. On the contrary, knowledge is power. Our knowledge is what opens doors to us in life, for us to be able to achieve things. Emotions and ignorance are what limits us.

I think our assumptions do limit the way we perceive or interpret things, and we may notice this in the arts. An example of this would be a young person, uninformed about Picasso’s art, thinking that what he created was meaningless, or that he was talentless.

The Spanish artist Picasso had a tremendous influence on the art world. By inventing cubism in Paris, 1907, he created an art movement that is now an inspiration to the artists of the world. Many may think that his unsymmetrically painted faces are meaningless or not aesthetically pleasing, while they are influenced by African art and masks. Due to Picasso being exhausted from seeing Western art all around, he decided to create a new style of art that would represent the new modern era. By inventing this style, Picasso opened a door for modern art to be invented, which Cubism was the first abstract style of.

The meaning of art, along with its beauty, is mostly subjective. Yet we are sometimes limited in the way we view art, because we don’t have enough information, historical background, or insight on the artist’s life.

It is human nature to always think we are right. To an extent, this is the right approach. What I think is right may not be the same for another person, but it does not make me any less right , or wrong. This can also be applied to the arts. For instance, in a picture of red colors I see war, blood, symbolism for hope, sacrifice and the pain we go through for our homeland, whilst another person sees a tomato. If this is a famous photo we can obviously research it, look for the artist’s intent. However, if the origin and purpose are unknown, both of us are right to see whatever it is that we want to see.

In conclusion, in order not to be limited by our assumptions, we must always be curious and ready to explore unfamiliar topics. “ Get comfortable being outside of your comfort zone. That’s the only way to grow.” It is okay to assume, but it is not okay to always be so content with only our assumptions.

Citation : "The History of Cubism.pdf." 5 Jul. 2012