Greatness in Mediums

When I think of greatness, I think of the countless amount of times I have written about heroes, inspirational people, and great acts that made someone special. I don't think I have thought about it as much in terms of works of art, literature or music and I think that this time, I'm going to take that approach.

As an avid devourer of books in my youth, and as much as possible lately, the power of written word has always been evident. But what makes something truly great? I think that for a literary text to be truly great it has to include a few high marks if you will in a few categories including diction, themes, symbolism, and overall style. When I think about "great" novels, I of course pay dues to the lists of classics but I also think about the novels that made me think, gave me insight, or have actually changed my opinion or outlook. I think of the books I was both engaged in from the start and the ones I eventually grew to love. I think of the many works that I would consider great, but that didn't necessarily do the trick for me in particular. Overall, I think that greatness comes on many levels and that some things are determined to be great for a broad audience, but there is also the list of greats that I hold near to me, as each person I believe would have one of their own versions of such a list.

Art. This one word includes so many mediums and styles that it's hard to sum up in just a paragraph. And when discussion starts about what is "great" or not in art, it gets tricky. Art has been made from almost anything you can think of. I think a big aspect of greatness in art is the time in which it was created. Andy Warhol for example with his iconic paintings and start of the pop art movement is an obvious example of greatness in art. But what about the street graffiti artist Banksy? His identity is unknown and his work is mostly illegal. In my opinion, I think he is one of the greatest artists of this time period. His art makes a statement and is provocative in a manner which is not trying for shock value. While in San Francisco, without even planning on it, I looked up and saw one of his pieces. I immediately was ecstatic. It made me think and just stood out as magnificently great to me. Meanwhile, hundreds of people walk by this daily without even knowing it is there, up on the side of a building above the hustle and bustle below. So is he considered a "great" artist? His work sells for large sums, but still much of the world does not know about him. The same can be said for artists who sell at art shows around the country. Having grown up with parents who are avid appreciators and collectors of art, I have been to many shows and have seen the great artists who continue to update their work and make a living selling beautiful pieces. They are only known to their customers and those who frequent art shows or galleries, but I have seen many great pieces that are great in the sense they are creating new genres of art, using different mediums to create their own techniques, following some stylistic rules while breaking others, and having pieces that overall create interest in the viewer or are just aesthetically appealing. Art can be great because it is just nice to look at, but it can also be great because it is making a statement.

When it comes to talking about music, I am going to focus on the past 50 years or so. I think that "great" music within this era is music that stands the test of time. Especially within the past 10 years, there has been an influx of truly horrible music that has no merit whatsoever. Instead of a band needing to have at least an album's worth of good songs to become "big", now a band can be given a record deal based on one hit written on the computer with a software that requires no ear for music. The music community has shifted and I think that his gives opportunity for current artists to breakthrough by being original and making music that can be appreciated by a wider audience than 13-15 year old girls. I think that to be great, a band needs to make music that people are willing to buy and that the audience likes it so much that they are inclined to tell their peers about it. I also think a large aspect of greatness in the music community is how the live version goes/sounds/looks. I think that a lot of band's enhance their greatness by putting on shows that blow audiences away. The bands that invoke a tingly feeling while I listen to them perform often are given a "great" response from me. Great music I would say has surrounded me since birth and is something I am always on the lookout for. My great list is the list of artists that I continually go back to listen to and that have been an accompaniment to different phases of my life.

As time goes on, I see my list of greats inevitably growing and changing as I grow and develop as a person. I hope to continue my appreciate for all these mediums and learn their histories and the countless number of contributors to what each medium has become. I think that being open to learning is a huge aspect of being able to appreciate the broad spectrum that comprise each of these ways of expression.