Worst work of art
How can you actually select a worst work of art?
For that you got to have a criterion. Then only can you go for a
marking system. Fine, that’s so easier when it’s a school essay. Suppose
you have to give marks out of 10. There are certain things you have to
think of: grammar, punctuation, context, relevance to the theme,
morality and many things. You can measure these items in a school essay.
Because the child has to know his grammar and etc.
To think out of the box, you got to know what’s within the box.
Likewise to go out of traditional grammar, you have to be familiar with
what ‘traditional grammar’ is. Then you violate grammar because you have
a purpose, not merely because you don’t know proper grammar.
 One simple example is when e e cummings wrote his name in lowercase.
Now this is open to interpretation. Methinks that’s because he wanted to
project his thoughts as simple. It serves some purpose. Every artiste
has such a purpose. So how do you pick a best work of art? Rich
language? Rich use of artistic techniques? Yes that’s how you do it
basically. Then quite the opposite should be for the worst work of art.
A worst work of art is something – I repeat - with very much poor use of
artistic techniques then.
In life, however, this is a different case. For inspiration you don’t
find best or worst works of art.
What is best to someone could be the worst to another. The best
example is the 2010 best Sinhala novel. Most people made it public that
it is not suitable for a best prize category.
The novel was picked as the best novel at several award festivals.
There was one session with the participation of judges of all those
literary awards. But only one judge could sensibly declare why he chose
this as the best novel. That was Dr Praneeth Abhayasundara.
Let me rephrase those words in my memory: “The book shows how
sorrowful is the fate of the Lankan woman. How she struggles with the
tension within herself.
That shows a trace of impermanence and in a way enlightens our souls
not to fall into such a direful state.”
I have only leafed through 2011’s best novel, and I have no intention
of reading it completely. My idea about the novel is completely based on
the little I have read and heard what others say.
Abhayasundara’s statement in that backdrop makes much sense. The
novel may be full of cheap erotica and loads of crap (the general
opinion). But that cheap erotica could be a good meditative subject to
contemplate on body. Loads of crap will be good for serious
contemplation on life.
Only for the right person, I mean. And sadly most of us don’t belong
to this privileged category.
I remembered Siddhattha and Upatissa-Kolitha friends. Upatissa and
Kolitha decided to leave the worldly life after seeing Giraggasamajja.
What kind of concert would it have been? Siddhattha took a decision
after seeing the way dancers behaved in the concert hall. What kind of a
concert would it have been? Something like our Cricket official song,
perhaps? Fast beat. Fast rhythm. So noisy. Yes, something like that, I
presume.
In standard sense, we recognize the likes of Cricket official songs
as meaningless and worthless. When I say it ruins my ‘refined taste’,
most of you will surely agree. It could be true when it comes to
literary or whatever appreciation too. Of course how can some good for
nothing fast beat meaningless artwork be the best? But when it comes to
life, I don’t think that thinking is valid anymore.
A Buddhist monk kept his aggressive disciple with him. When asked why
he would not just get rid of him, his response was that the disciple
teaches him patience.
Cricket official song, in the same way, will lead us to
enlightenment, at least in a temporary sense – this very much depends on
the personality though. That fast beat or meaninglessness talks to each
and every person in a different tone. That might generate another
Arahant Sariputta, who knows?
Many bad things, and the things we call bad, strangely lead us to
enlightenment. Because it helps us realize how messy our life is.
It applies to work of art too. That’s why literary judgment is not
valid when it comes to practical life.
Whether an artwork is best or worst is very much up to your personal
choice. I may not like the Cricket official song, or the best Sinhala
novel. But it’s my personal choice. To someone else it could be, and
should be, different.
We must set aside worst works of art, only if art is for art.
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