Indifference of Art

November 21, 2024


Art is an experience that taps into something deeper than what we can put into words. It’s an expression of thought, emotion, and vision, created not for our approval but because it demands to exist. Great art doesn’t care what you think about it. In fact, its power lies precisely in its ability to stand apart from your personal feelings, views, or comfort zones.

Let’s face it, art challenges us. It confronts our assumptions, pushes boundaries, and sometimes shakes us awake. It’s not here to make you feel good or offer an easy escape from reality. Great art comes from a place of deep sincerity or bold experimentation, and often, it’s uncomfortable. It may not line up with the conventions or expectations we’ve come to associate with beauty, skill, or meaning. Yet, that is what makes it so strikingly unforgettable. It doesn’t need your validation to prove its worth.

Art as a Mirror to the Soul

When we interact with art, we are often confronted with parts of ourselves we didn’t realize were there. A portrait may make us face our own vulnerability. A film might expose our biases or unravel hidden fears. A poem could remind us of grief we buried long ago. This is where art’s true power lies—not in comforting us but in making us grapple with uncomfortable truths.

Art holds a mirror up to society, culture, and humanity. Whether it's a painting that challenges our perception of beauty, a performance that makes us question our beliefs, or a song that exposes the raw vulnerability of the human condition, the best works of art force us to look within and consider our place in the world. They don’t cater to our individual tastes or soothe our egos; they hold us accountable to something larger than ourselves.

Disregarding the Approval of the Viewer

Many artists create for personal reasons—whether to explore a specific emotion, process their experiences, or question an existing norm. The process is often more about self-expression than about seeking the approval of an audience. As a result, the viewer’s feelings, while important, are secondary. The artist’s vision, no matter how unconventional or difficult to digest, takes precedence.

Consider the works of avant-garde artists like Marcel Duchamp, whose Fountain (a urinal turned art piece) sent shockwaves through the art world. The piece was deeply controversial, rejecting the traditional notions of what art should be. Duchamp didn’t care if the public rejected his work. What mattered was that he was making a statement about the nature of art itself. He didn’t conform to the idea that art had to fit a specific mold. Instead, he created something that invited questioning, reflection, and conversation.

It’s the same with many other groundbreaking works. Great art often serves as a catalyst for change, whether political, social, or cultural, because it refuses to be confined by popular sentiment. It’s not beholden to approval, nor does it wait for permission to challenge us. That sense of disregard for external validation is exactly why it resonates so deeply. It stands on its own, without apology.

The Power of Discomfort

The reason many people are drawn to great art—despite (or because of) their discomfort—is because it makes them feel something that is raw, unprocessed, or unfiltered. The discomfort it produces is an invitation to rethink, to reassess, and to evolve. Sometimes that discomfort comes in the form of shock or disgust, but sometimes it’s a quieter form of unease, the kind that lingers long after we’ve left the gallery, concert hall, or theater.

Art that avoids discomfort is often superficial—pleasant, easy, and predictable. But true art doesn’t shy away from challenging its audience. It doesn’t concern itself with being liked. A piece that leaves us unsettled or questioning our assumptions has done its job. It has given us an experience that doesn’t pander to our desires, but instead makes us confront the complexities of life, human nature, and the world around us.

Art as an Independent Force

What’s truly extraordinary about great art is that it transcends individual reactions. A painting can be viewed by thousands of people, each with their own interpretation, and yet the artwork itself remains untethered to any one perspective. It doesn’t change based on how you feel about it. It is independent and steadfast in its existence. It stands apart, unaffected by the opinions of its audience. Whether we are moved by it or repelled by it, it simply exists.

In this way, art becomes timeless, because it isn’t limited to a specific context or fleeting trend. The value of a piece lies not in its ability to meet expectations, but in its capacity to endure, challenge, and provoke long after its creator is gone.

The Truth of Art

The essence of great art is its truth—whether we agree with it or not. Art is often a reflection of the artist’s deepest, rawest truths. The truth is not always beautiful, pleasant, or easy to digest. It can be dark, chaotic, or disturbing. But it is genuine in a way that mere pleasing aesthetics can never be. This truth doesn’t care about your feelings, because it is bigger than any one person’s reaction to it.

Ultimately, art’s greatness comes from its ability to transcend the subjective. It doesn't care if you like it, and that’s what makes it unforgettable. It doesn’t fit into neat categories or play by conventional rules. It challenges, disrupts, and forces us to see the world in new ways—often in ways we may not want to see.

But that’s the beauty of it.

Great art is great precisely because it doesn’t need to care about what you think. Its power comes from its own existence, its own truth, its own willingness to stand boldly in the face of indifference or even rejection. It’s a force of nature, not shaped by our approval but capable of shaping the world around it. And that is why it endures—because it is unshaken by what we think about it.