I went to the Chicago Art Institute this year and finally got a chance to expose myself to some of the most incredible forms of expression. Although I could go on for days about how I love all the different artists, I really started to get inspired more than anything. Understanding not just the outcome, but the process of art is something that my artistic teachers and friends always reminded me about. My interest in film drove me to want to see how directors are able to control so many variables in order to create the easiest medium to absorb, audio/visual stimulation. The more the variables, the more impressed I am. I could watch the "Hollywood Roundtable" with movie directors all day and still crave information on how they do it! Basically, I’m trying to say my colleagues are right, knowing the process of artistic expression can not only inspire more but can make one appreciate what is being observed better.

Looking at the historical art triggered thoughts about why and how they made this. From paintings to sculptures, I saw how the flow of humanity and its search for creative expression changed over the years. Older art would hold more of a purpose, like a jeweled up water jug, or a decorated hand fan. As humanity moved forward, spirituality became more relevant which made art pieces like totems and idols possible. Government starts to form and currency becomes art. Power stems off government and funds artists to continue their expression through portraits and sculpture of those in power. There are so many ways to create the map in my head for why every piece of art justifies some form of expression, but I like to look at how artists know this and make art that is aware of itself.

Modern and Post-modern art were some of my favorite exhibits to view because I was starting to see why a human like me would find something as weird as what I saw to be nice to have around. Sometimes it’s the literal process or the psychological process that determines how the art is the way it is. Being able to invoke reactions that wouldn't be associated with reactions commonly associated with viewing art makes that art THAT much more exciting and new. To get an extremely horrifying take on how far one might be willing to go to invoke such reactions, check out the first episode of Black Mirror on Netflix. Another reaction can be found by checking out Marina Abramović’s "Rhythm O," which is similar to what Shia LaBeouf did years later.

So why is it so important to know how to understand art? Well if you couldn't tell from my previous articles, an expression is sometimes the only way to appropriately convey how one is feeling on a particular issue, and for me that's politics. Having a country of artistically literate people can cause change through art. Being able to recognize the message conveyed can make one come to the same conclusion about themselves they had before, but since the route in which that thought came about enters one's mind is different the perspective changes. The Washington Post had a comic with Donald Trump as President… created over SEVENTEEN years ago! "Game of Thrones" can just be an analogy of us, the white walkers are climate change and the dragons are nuclear weapons, just think about it! Art is a reflection of reality and once we understand it, we can understand ourselves.