The Whole Ball of Wax Reflection

"Art is not optional; it is necessary. It is part of the whole ball of wax"

Jerry Satlz's article "The Whole Ball of Wax" was an indepth look into the meaning of art. His many interesting points about why people do art and look at art made me think about art in a whole different  way. Throughout his article Saltz looks at how art can change the world. He belivies that art is a nessesity that must be a part of our world today. His idea that art can change the world is in a sense that it can't cure AIDs or stop genocide or hunger, but it provides and escape away from those bad things. Art is able to take people out of the moment and trancend them into something else. It can provide peace and comfort to people. He says, "Art is an energy source that helps make change possible; it sees things in clusters and constellations rather than rigid systems". Art is the ability to have two very similar people look at a painting and comprehend two very different things, It draws out different emotions, ideas, and inspirations that art viewers may not have felt before. 

One point Saltz makes is that critics often try to put art into different catigories, and they try to make it seem rigid and firm. But Saltz believes that art should be whatever people want it to be and there shouldn't be a strict definition. There are so many aspects of art that people shouldn't just look at 17 different texts or 17 different theories about art, but should see all the different possiblities. Many people underestimate the value and importance of art. Many artists and pieces of art represent a generation or new ideas that changed the world. By looking art are deeply people can see that its something beautiful, and if it doesn't mean something to them, it means something to the artist which should be appreciated. 

The purpose of art means something different to every single person. To some art may just mean a pretty painting to hang on their bedroom wall, but to others art can be anything, from a painting, to music, or to movement in nature. Art is so much more than what can be described on paper and it can change the world one small step at a time, if people will let it.