Subtitled - An Unfinished Theory, What Art Does is an invitation to explore the impulse to create art in all aspects of human life, both past and present. The main question it asks is why, why do we do that, and what purpose,if any, does it serve society more broadly? Eno does not confine his definition to preconceived limiting ideas of high or low art, fine art and craft, of what is or is not art. He simply is observing an aesthetic necessity in the human zeitgeist to apply art, an artistic sensibility to everything we do. He gives the screwdriver as one example:
'A screwdriver has two parts:the blade and the handle. The blade can only be made in one form: it has a specific purpose and it had a specific shape and size and strength.. If you go to a hardware store and look at the screwdrivers you'll see that all the blades are virtually identical.
This is not true for the handles. There is no space for 'art' in the blades - but there is in the handles, which might be striped or speckled or multicoloured or opaque.These variations in the handles make no difference to the usability of the tools. They are stylistic variations that do not relate to function, The less functional a thing is - the less it has to do something in particular - the more space for art there is in it, the more freedom there is in it. The art engagement begins where the functional engagement ends,'
And this human tendency has been with us from the very first time our ancestors made a tool or inhabited a cave. Wall paintings in caves are no different in purpose to the interiors of a modern home. In that they embody human beliefs, identity and aspirations, they are reflections of both who we want to be, how we want to be seen, and how we actually are. Art of any description operates on the same level of feeling. The feelings we have about ourselves, about the objects in our home, the home itself, and our wider sense of our position within society. All are reflected through an aesthetic sensibility, of Art.
Eno explores the aspect of aspiration through art, by seeing it as a form of fictional rehearsal or imaginative experiment. We try out ideas through art, through drama, theatre and films, in novels etc. These are all safe vehicles for trying ideas out. They can be cathartic, or simply reflect back to us the state of society or relationships, or offer another way of seeing things all together. And if we don't like this, we can walk away from it or switch it off.
'Certain forms of art get criticised for being escapist. There's an assumption that good art must always be difficult in some way. But what is wrong with escaping? What's wrong with wanting to experience another reality that is better than this one? What does that tell you about this one? If you find out what 'better' means for you, you have a richer understanding of the world you're in and what is missing'
And whilst it is impossible to say one piece of music, a play or painting changed anyone's mind or views about things. That doesn't mean its entirely without influence or suggestibility, because art provides you with the feeling of what happens should you be willing to change, to act upon an impulse. It offers you a place through which to empathise with another persons tragedy or predicament. It creates a more willing openness to seeing situations and other people differently. When art becomes too tightly focused on a political polemic or is delivered as a diktat then that alienates us, because it does not offer you any option, it tells you what to think and how you should be acting.
' In art, we try out new possible worlds and other ways of being, by paying attention to our feelings about them. Art allows us to share complicated concepts and feelings with each other. This cultural conversation opens doors to shifts - in ourselves and in society. Art shepherds change.'
Eno's ideas in What Art Does have been gradually developing over recent years. I've watched a number of lectures he has given on this subject. So much of the content of this book is then quite familiar territory to me. But I do remember when I first heard his ideas on art, how exciting they were. Particularly because it moved you away from elitist and exclusive ideas about the elevated purpose of art, Ideas originating largely from Ruskin, with a smattering of Morris, and passed down to us through art criticism. The interest in Eno's ideas is that they provide you with a way of looking at, appreciating and understanding any form of human aesthetic expression, irrespective of origin, culture or history.
The style and presentation of this book is quite intentionally accessible. He has collaborated with the Dutch artist Bette Adriaanse in the creation of the illustrations for this book. The colour pallet and stylistic characterful expression having helpful echoes of self help and health information leaflets. Eno writes in plain English, he doesn't use specialist language, and eschews presenting concepts and ideas in any way that might feel excluding or exclusive. It never feels patronising or that you are being talked down to. Because if there is anything about the whole area of art that is known, its that a lot of people can feel its not for them, or that it requires a certain sort of mind, intelligence or talent to appreciate it. Sometimes to even to mention the word art makes some folk automatically self exclude.
One thing that Eno's theory really opens up is how egalitarian art actually is, How much we are already partaking in art, simply by the sort of choices we make about what we surround ourselves with. Aesthetic decisions that we all make every day of the week, without probably noticing. Simply through deciding what to wear every morning, we are making an artistic statement about who we are and how we are feeling. I can't recommend this book highly enough.
CARROT REVIEW - 7/8
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