The Absence of Art
written by: Jacqueline De Notogh
We are vapid and vacant vessels
Consumed by materialism
Seduced by primeval thirst for pleasure
Absent of sincerity and serenity, mired in self-importance.
Can the notes of a song
Or the words of a poet
Touch souls driven by selfish expression
Hedonism only serves those who have no life purpose.
We are shallow vain creatures
Obsessed by appearances
All too eager to change what nature gave us
To appease the accepted notion of ideal.
Can paintings and sculptures
Break through the polished veneer
To reach the heart of those who would admire them
And touch the souls of the imperfectly perfect.
Less than those who went before us
Do our arts lack the genius of past masters
Who cared not for objects in the world nor fame
But were the living embodiment of their creations.
Given words, music, art freely
Why are we not content
To share part of an artist’s soul
It is not enough to contain jealous conceit.
Less than the world’s expectations
Artists are pursued beyond the gifts they create
Scrutinised in every aspect of their lives
Wherein art is forgotten and they become the spectacle.
Given a glimpse into genius
The vacant mind misinterprets
Criticism and obsession with an artist
Replaces admiration and regard for their work.
Are we too self-obsessed
To ever find the joy embodied in art
Where can inspiration be found
In a world consumed by greed and personal pleasures.
Can we forego excess to experience the sublime
Can we allow creation to co-exist with a fabricated modern world
Are artists now tortured souls by our hands
Are we driving them into a sub-culture world of protection
Where we may only get a fleeting glimpse, never a full view
If so, we have only ourselves to blame.
- The Absence of Art - August 6, 2026
- AIR - December 20, 2018
- Water - November 14, 2018
