Oh Really?

Let’s face it, Art is always compared with that awful phantom called Reality. “Reality” after all, is by no means what is “really” out there.

For artists, “Reality” is only what is represented by two tiny images, upside down and reversed from left to right that impinge upon the retina of our eyes, and that constantly changing image of flashes is only a tiny portion of the vast continuum of energies which constantly wash across the universe. We are, in effect, viewing these tiny distorted constructs of what is barely perceptible while gazing through a tiny gap between two teeth, as it were, of a gigantic comb. Those image fragments are then swept through intensive filters of memories, expectations, attitudes, prejudice, ignorance, superstitions and poor observational and recording methods to become what we call “Reality”!

Art brings into that dark and stale world of authoritative distortion a new light and a fresh breath. We know that humans now comprehend a greater range of colors than did those who lived two, and even one thousand years ago, and many more musical notes are available now than then. The entire human species has been dragged through a vast and gibbering darkness by its own poets, artists, writers and other “madmen”. Indeed, "Reality" is the CURSE of art! So get out the pots and pans and bang and clang, let’s chase away that horrid hag! We’ve had enough Reality!

©John Womack, 2006. All Rights Reserved.