Art is subjective, but what isn’t? There are multiple artistic styles: realism, impressionism, abstraction, to name a few. Different people have a personal connection to the style, or styles, that appeal to them the most.

I am not an art connoisseur. I know what you are thinking; I knew the names of different artistic styles so I must be. A quick Google search can turn any amateur into a professional. I have always had a deep appreciation of art. I am in awe of people that have a flair for art, since I cannot even draw 2 circles that are the same size. Everyone has their own way of expressing themselves, and art is a way for others to appreciate that self-expression. In a lot of ways, images can illustrate more than words. They can implicitly address certain issues, and are open to interpretation. Words are used so often and without thought that they lose meaning. Images are not always easy to decipher — there lies their beauty, but also their downfall.

I know that art is so vast, but some pieces of art make me question how selective art should be. If I was confident enough and had contacts, I am sure I could blag my way in getting some of my work into the Tate. Take Anthony Hill’s “Diagonal Composition,” on the left, for example — yes, it is aesthetically pleasing. However, on a serious note, could they not have found anything better to display on their website? I could have drawn his piece, and that says a lot. I am sure a backlash of angry fans of Hill are waiting to attack me, but that is my view. For me, realism is my favourite style. I like when you can identify what is happening in an image fairly quickly. The fact that subjects of realism were predominantly from the lower and working classes appeals to me even more. When I look at realist art, I am truly dumbfounded by how incredible the artist is. I can compare the image to its counterpart in real life to see how life-like the image is. Edward Hopper’s “Nighthawks”, on the right, is one of the most iconic realist paintings. Looking at it, I feel like I am standing on the street looking into the bar. I can imagine the smell of gin lingering in the air. It is a scene that we would often encounter on a regular basis in reality. The painting is pretty simplistic, but makes viewers think. Why is one man sitting alone? Who are the couple? Are they even in a bar? We may never know the answers to these questions. However, that is art. It can excite and baffle you at the same time.

Sometimes it is so easy to discredit creative subjects, since we are constantly told they are “soft” and won’t get us anywhere in life. I fell into that trap in the past. Being at Goldsmiths, a university which strives on creativity, it is hard to ignore the beauty and relevance of art. Art does not have a correct answer. Does that mean it is of less importance than biology? Certainly not!

We should not be afraid to excel in what we are good at. Whether it is mathematics, history or art. Everything that we do will contribute to society, so it should not matter what we study or appreciate. Since you are at Goldsmiths, why not take the time to explore the artistic talent on offer. With alumni including Damien Hirst and Antony Gormley, it would be a shame not to.

This blog post was written by Danielle, a history at work student, who completed a placement at Goldsmiths Special Collections.