6 - Charlie Frohman - Originality

The image I posted above is a chalk drawings done by Julian Beever. In reality the man's feet are both flat on the concrete, but it appears as if his right leg is lower down and touching the water. This optical illusion is only apparent when the viewer looks from an extremely specific vantage point. If you were on the other side of this image, you would see that the leg of the lounging women is in fact extremely long and extends far down the street.

In my opinion, this is a perfect example of original art work. This work, along with all the other sidewalk drawings done by Julian Beever, challenge the conventions of "traditional" artwork. Most people associate chalk drawings with little children and sidewalks, but in this instance a man has created a series of undeniably unique works using the same simple medium.

In general, I find myself placing a lot of value on originality in a work of art - I tend to enjoy pieces that are a little bit weird or unusual (this refers to paintings, sculptures, etc). However, I also think that there is a fine line between approachable originality and overwhelming abstraction. I recently visited the MOMA, and while I loved many of the works on display, there were just as many that I found absolutely unappealing (mainly because I didn't understand them in the slightest). While I recognize the originality in such pieces, I am incapable of enjoying them beyond an aesthetic level - perhaps, however, that is sometimes the point.

I also think the term originality is very hard to define. Just because something isn't an original production doesn't mean it isn't "original" in its own right. An artist's reproduction of a masterwork may be reinterpreted in different colors, using a different medium, or even with different subjects entirely. Similarly, a modern performance of a musical composition must be interpreted by the conductor, and as such, every performance will be new and original in its own right.