Meaning vs Aesthetics
Sometimes an artwork or photograph just does not interest or excite us as individuals, however the meaning or idea behind the piece might be of interest as it is just important. An example for me is Edvard Munch's "Scream", 1893. "The Scream" was painted after the end of the photographic Realist era, when artists wanted to show off their technical skills. It was also painted right before the Expressionists and other artists of the early twentieth century who made it a trend to put a focus on the expression of their feelings and emotions through their art rather than displaying how realistically they could paint an image or object. In Edvard Munch's diaries, the artist admits that he struggled with insanity not only personally during his life, but also through his family. His sister was hospitalized for insanity at the time "The Scream" was painted in 1893. Edvard Munch shows us an honest, even ugly, glimpse of his inner troubles and feelings of anxiety through his painting "The Scream", putting more importance on personal meaning than on technical skill or “beauty,” a traditional goal of art.
"I was walking down the road with two friends when the sun set; suddenly, the sky turned as red as blood. I stopped and leaned against the fence, feeling unspeakably tired. Tongues of fire and blood stretched over the bluish black fjord. My friends went on walking, while I lagged behind, shivering with fear. Then I heard the enormous infinite scream of nature." -Edvard Munch