Does every piece of art have to have a story?
April 27, 2024
Humans are story driven. We crave meaning - we crave a good story. We connect and relate with others through stories shared. Stories have recounted the events of history, have helped to spread knowledge and wisdom and have become a source of entertainment.
Does all Art have a Story?
This has been something I have been thinking about...quite a lot actually.
You see, when sharing your art, whether it be online, at events or a gallery, people inevitably ask the one question I dread -
"what's the story / what does it mean to you as the artist."
I have a love-hate relationship with this question. It's not always as straightforward as one might think. In a way, yes, every piece has a story, but it's not always the "good" story that people crave. A piece doesn't always have some deep, philosophical meaning to it.
Some pieces, at their inception, do not have a specific story or a specific message tied to them. Sometimes the story or message doesn't come until its completion - until the artist has gone through the meditative creative process.
Other times, the artist has a clear message, feeling or story they wish to convey, and thus a piece was created to do just that. One of my artist friends, Kristin Whitney, seems to often have a clear direction for a collection. For example, she is currently working on her "Fruits of the Spirit" collection. She has a clear message and feeling she is trying to communicate with each piece. Check out her work at kristinwhitney.com
Does my Art have a Story?
Yes.
So, why do I have a love-hate relationship with this question if my art does indeed have a story?
Because sometimes, the story is simply "because I saw beauty in this, and so I captured it." That's it.
But, if we zoom out and focus on my art as a whole instead of each individual piece, the story expands. I am fascinated by nature. I am fascinated by the beauty found in nature, and how what one finds beautiful another might not. I love the details found in nature and how some can be easily missed if one does not take the time to appreciate it.
Something as simple as my love for watching clouds float across the sky looking like big tufts of cotton candy and my adoration for how sunsets never seem to be the same sparked an entire cloud study series. But, each specific painting within that collection of studies was made simply because I was fascinated with the shape of the clouds or because I loved the colors of the sky. Alone, they don't have much meaning, but together, they point to something bigger. Alone, their story is because I saw beauty in them, and thus I painted that beauty. Together, they expand upon my love of cloud watching and the ever changing nature of sunsets.
Some of my pieces did serve a purpose or hold meaning at the time of their inception. Dreary Meadow was a release of my fear of the unknown. I felt overwhelmed with fear, and turned to painting. The piece itself is a calming reflection of the release. It is the calm after the storm, and in my eyes, it's full of peace and beauty. Citrus Serenade was painted as an attempt to help me shift my perspective - to appreciate the last few weeks of summer when all I wanted was for autumn to whisk its way into my life and to witness the changing of leaves once again.
For me, art is meditative. I process thoughts and emotions while creating. In 2022, I happened to work through the stages of grief from losing my dad each time I sat down to paint, even though the pieces I was painting had nothing to do with him or grief. Many of the pieces were pet portraits for other individuals, but the painting process for them provided the meditative solstice needed for me to process my grief. The creative process oftentimes holds more meaning for me than having an actual "story" behind a piece, and maybe that is partially why I struggle with this aspect of all of my pieces having a tangible story or message that is required to be shared with others. It can be difficult to put into words each emotion felt or each thought processed during the creative process into a coherent story. Oftentimes, it feels like a whirlwind of chaos. How can I put into words something that had no words at the time, but was simply felt?
Does Every Piece Need a Story?
If stories hold so much weight when it comes to human nature, does every piece have to have a story?
In my opinion, no.
Art is still art. It is still valid even if the artist doesn't have a story to share upon being asked.
Many may disagree with me on this, and that's ok. Many may say that subconsciously, there is always a story to tell or always some kind of meaning behind a piece. That may be true, but if it is subconscious, then the artist has yet to uncover that connection with the piece...so until then, the piece simply exists to exist.
Can art not simply be? Can art not take on meaning by the viewer instead of the artist? Does art only hold weight and value when there is a story?
There are times that, by an artist not blatantly saying what a piece means to them, it leaves room for viewers to cultivate a story of what it means for them personally. At the same time though, if your piece has a story, that story might connect with another.
For example, let's look at another artist such as Taylor Swift. She is well known for her writing and how she shares glimpses of her personal life in her songs, but yet doesn't blatantly say who each song is about. The songs are personal for her and tell a part of her story, but at the same time, her fans can easily identify with the songs that resonate with their own stories.
I also struggle with the aspect of feeling the need to have some "meaningful story" to connect to an art piece just to say it has "meaning". I want the story or the meaning behind a piece to be genuine and not forced. I want it to be real and not simply what someone wants to hear.
I can craft you a deep and meaningful story if a story is all you want to be satisfied. I can craft you a story if authenticity doesn't matter to you.
But, I don't want to. I want to be authentic with you.
With all of that being said, I do try to share about the inspiration, story or meaning behind pieces, regardless of if it will be considered deep and meaningful, or if it is simply because I wanted to. This also doesn't mean that you shouldn't ask an artist about the inspiration behind their art. By all means, ask us about our inspiration. Just know that sometimes, we create simply because we wanted to, and that doesn't make it less in any way.
There is power in being able to connect with other individuals through your art. There is power in sharing your story or meaning for a piece, but that doesn't mean every single piece you create has to have a story or some significant meaning or statement that you share with others. It can simply exist because you wanted to make it.
Comments