Resistance Against the Rising Groupthink in Art Communities
Category: Visual Art
Author(s): Ferrin Jaudon
Presenter(s): Ferrin Jaudon
Unfortunately, in many art communities today, there is a growing expectation that every piece must carry a profound meaning along with it. The pressure for this standard often overshadows the foundational qualities that were present when we first started considering things to be art; curiosity, visual fasciation, and the creation of something that pushes boundaries. Art has historically thrived on experimentation and the freedom to explore, yet the emergence of contemporary norms increasingly suggest that work lacking an elaborate concept is somehow lesser. My work is created in order to challenge these assumptions, and look at how art can operate when freed from the demand of a narrative justification. I focus on the raw curiosities of the mind, and create pieces that invite viewers to engage with their own imaginations. Through an alternative style, I aim to abolish these narratives by leading with example. By presenting work that resists traditional meaning-making, I hope to encourage others, both artists and viewers alike, to reconnect with their own creative impulses and consider how art can be liberated from this restrictive groupthink within our communities. This project asks a central question: What happens to creativity when we remove the expectation that art must “mean” something?