The concept of art has always been trivial to me, and it didn’t help that I studied it for 2 years. In fact, the very definition of art blurred even more when I became an art student. I had always thought “how in the world do you even begin to articulate into words a concept so vague yet so certain that sometimes you just know what it looks like?” It’s almost as if you’d just know it when you see it.
Artwork by Kyla Mangsat
But despite its definition (or sometimes lack thereof), it was more important to me to know the reason and meaning behind a work of art, especially coming from the artist themself. There’s just something to really knowing what drove the artist to creating their art to fully understanding it.
And of course, along with the question of why their art is the way it is, I pay closer attention to who they create their art for.
Not only does it tell me who they want their audience to be, or the complete opposite of it, but it lets me know to whom do these artists, writers, performers, dedicate their craft to. And once you know who they make their art for, you will know the innermost core of their art as a whole.
As someone who can only wish to dedicate their life to art, I have thought about this question a lot for my own works. To my own realization, I have always dedicated my bigger pieces, my art in which I pour my heart and soul, blood, sweat, and tears into, I have always thought of the oppressed, the masses, the exploited, the dehumanized, the victims, and the survivors. I may have nothing to be credited for, but I at least have my voice. And I always made sure that my voice, whether I use words or not, amplified the voices that are barely a whisper.
It is with the oppressed that I stand beside. Mayhaps with or without my art. And I think that says a lot about an artist, especially one who is ready to dedicate their art -- their life to fighting for a cause bigger than life, and serving the people rather than just themselves.