The Thing about Art

There is a debate in Vancouver about what is art. One artist portrayed Satan standing erect (yes sexually) in a public park. The city took the statue away citing it was not appropriate for public viewing. There are several questions here about what is art; what is public; and what freedoms do we have. Part of the problem is weighing the difference between freedom and expression.

Canada is a free nation (not really). We are free to believe what we want, and say what we want as long as it is within reason. Some well-meaning people think freedom is exactly that: the freedom to do what the “hell” they want. Society works when we all agree. I suppose society works when we don’t too. Difference of opinion is a good thing (I think). They tried in other countries to get people to think the same way (communism), but even that did not work. Some things are free but other things are not.

We are free to pass gas in public. In reality nobody can stop you. Breast feeding a child in many places is legal. Kissing in public is legal and so is holding hands. The flip side is child abuse (spanking?), murder, stealing, and on we could go. In some ways laws were made to forge a line in the sand. Our freedom can go this far or it’s over the line. Each country has its own line. The problem comes with Art. The line is hard to define when it comes to freedom to create and expressing our artistic side.

So why have a line at all? Should we be able to build where we want, kill who we want, and say what we want in the name of freedom? Within every new generation are young people. They question why we old people do what we do. Why not just cross the road without looking (just because dumb ass)? The old people say “you see that scar on my leg: that is why I tie my shoes, looked before I leapt, and minded my P’s and Q’s (what are P’s and Q’s anyways).

What does God say about freedom of expression? This is really fascinating stuff. In the beginning God told us not to eat of the “Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.” Do you think knowing about that stuff is a good thing? It’s possible that right from the start we were dumb asses (an ass is biblical). Jesus said he came to set us free. Ya, free from sin. That seems to bother us because sin is such a stupid word with a wide meaning. Maybe, but sin and dumb ass are synonymous. All God ever wanted to do is point us in the right direction, but we prefer sin.

What is so cool about Art is that it comes from within. It’s hard to police what comes out of the heart and mind because we tend to do that on a whim. Sure Stalin, Hitler, Caesar, and a host of others tried to curb people, but the Arts within us can’t be stifled. That brings us back to the line. The definition of sin is really anything that hurts others for your benefit. Maybe “the line” and “sin” are not so different. Is a naked erect devil good for our children? Is a sign saying “death to Jews” good for a multi-cultural world? Is Art public or private? Ultimately each culture will decide what sin is and what sin is not. God gave us that freedom. We can argue over what God thinks but that is for another day. In the meantime the battle will continue over what is right and wrong for each of us and that is the beauty of freedom.

I'm the Silent Preacher