One of the greatest parts of Prague is its central location in Europe, offering many interesting places to visit for the weekend that is only a bus ride away. The first weekend trip I decided to take was to Vienna, Austria with a group that I quickly became friends with in the first week.
During the four-hour bus ride there I got a chance to become more acquainted with Prague’s most famous writer and read Kafka’s short stories and The Metamorphosis. While many of his short stories felt unsatisfying after the first reading, I have since gone back and re-read about half of them and enjoyed them much more after shifting my focus from narrative and characters, to my own emotional responses to his dark and detailed writing style.
Alternative Fashion Project
I think a combination of my practical temperament and CMC education prepared me to use this approach when confronted with any type of media. I constantly pick at the logic of the events and try to perceive a clear argument in the work. Part of my education here in Prague, however, has been to reverse this typical approach and to experience media instead through the emotions it elicits. Once I made this switch and applied it to Kafka’s writing, I think I discovered why I have struggled when it came to viewing art.
I remember most of my experiences in a museum or gallery where I spent time looking for meaning and structure that was not there, leaving with the impression that most art was impenetrable to me. It is also one of the main reasons that I have always been reluctant to call myself an artist; I knew I was creating images that were at least somewhat visually appealing, but most of my images did not make a statement, like I believed art was supposed to.
While it is certainly true that art can, and often does, contain substantive claims about certain things (I have been bombarded with numerous examples from documentary photographers since the beginning of the program), this is, at most, only half of the equation. As reading Kafka has demonstrated to me, it is the artist’s own style and creativity that creates a rich piece, regardless of message.
Editorial Portrait
This is not a groundbreaking idea obviously, but it took until these past few weeks and reading Kafka for this idea to click for me. Not every piece has a deep, broad sweeping meaning that is supposed to be clearly understood by all who view it. It is more likely that the piece contains many meanings, each dependent on how the viewer appreciates and perceives the stylization and individualization at play.
As the semester continues, I am learning about the visual elements of images, the emotions they evoke, and the many ways they can be used together as part of a broader artistic style. For the rest of the semester I will be incorporating these elements and techniques into my own work and hopefully develop my own style. That is one huge benefit choosing an art specific program. I could have taken separate art classes at Pomona or Scripps (even though registering might be tricky, there was room in my schedule), but this approach would not allow me to learn these concepts while simultaneously applying them in a variety of media week after week. Because I am immersed in art classes, I am able to take complimentary classes that build my skills across the board instead of being constantly distracted or interrupted by other competing subjects like GEs or my major.
Street Photography
That being said, my academic life looks quite different from when I am at CMC and I am still adjusting. My usual estimates of how long it will take to get work done have gone out the window as I now find myself riding waves of creative energy instead of sticking to my usual study schedule. So far I am embracing this change and enjoying every second of it.