James Metcalf on the fictionality of the latest archaeological page-turners
Stephen Puddicombe looks at the unusual appeal of Samuel Beckett's Waiting for Godot
Ciaran Rafferty investigates the science of book classification
Literature is the greater stimulus – Lizzy Pennock
Whilst both art and literature hold deeper meanings to be extracted and explored, it must be argued that literature is the greater stimulus. If we define stimulus as something that causes or is regarded to cause a mental response, art is limited by the fact that is a visual medium. Reading a book causes more response than looking at a painting because as reading you are visualising and imagining the characters or situations in your head, rather than being restricted to the visual picture that the painting presents.
How many times have you imagined a character in your head and seen other people’s painting/drawing/acting of such a character and been disappointed? Each person’s vision is different rather than being a set-in-stone visualisation that art creates, arguably creating a greater stimulus. Literature is also a greater stimulus due to the emotions that it arouses. Viewing a sculpture or a painting is inferior to reading a novel or a poem as you are able to experience a much deeper range of emotions that the character presents. If you are looking at a woman crying, you know that she is sad. But you do not know why, how, or even whether she is pretending. You cannot access her thoughts and her emotions and therefore it is less of a stimulus.
Whilst art is undoubtedly a highly stimulating experience, it is less of one than the experience of literature. In literature you can find a less visual, but more mentally stimulating pleasure, the pleasure of using the mind more than the eyes.
Art is the greater stimulus - Lucie Vincer
‘Art’ can take many forms, but defining it as purely visual – paintings, sculpture, architecture, photography – it is clearly the greater stimulus. Throughout the ages art has been accessible to the masses, inciting people to act. It inspires emotions and triggers memories in an instant, without the tedious process of reading.
The great artists of any era inspire future generations, and the belief that art is elitist and incomprehensible is unjustified: by its visual nature it is open to anyone to enjoy – in bygone ages the illiterate could see and be moved by a work of art, and as a result be roused to rebellion or stirred with feelings of patriotism. Statues of the heroes of a generation serve as sources of national pride; Delacroix’s “Liberty Leading the People”, depicting the 1840 uprising that removed Charles X from power, had to be removed from public view lest it should incite further unrest.
More recently photographs have motivated public outrage: Vietnamese photographer Nick Ut’s photo of nine year-old Kim Phuc taken directly after her village had been bombed with napalm during the Vietnam War was reprinted all over the world causing universal revulsion and disgust at the horrific actions. It came to epitomize the tragedy of the war.
Nowadays we have the likes of Banksy, with thought provoking images satirizing society prompting self-awareness and a changing attitude towards the more illicit art forms.
Art is a medium with the power to truly move people, make them think and inspire them to act. It can represent the deepest of emotions or the harshest of realities in a single image. For this reason, it is the greater stimulus.
What do you think? Art History Soc are holding The Big Art Debate Wednesday 8th December, 3.30pm in V/045.
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