Culture

I recently had the pleasure of seeing "The Nose" at the MET where William Kentridge's direction and set design was a fantastic gesamtwerk (or complete work- I prefer the German girth). More then an opera, it was a transportation, an experience in which the music, visuals and energy were working together as a unique and full vision that seldom comes to fruition.
I started thinking of my love of the work by Margaret and Charles Rennie Mackintosh- the Scottish duo that were pioneers in the arts and crafts movement. They designed each element- from wall treatments to furniture to textiles- to work together exquisitely.



I love when all of the senses are satisfied, when an artist really has a complete vision in which every detail is thought through. All the details add up to the whole which is far greater then just the sum of its parts. Culture is not unlike this phenomenon. Culture, as Wade Davis describes in The Wayfinders, is "language, religion, social and economic organization, decorative arts, stories, myths, ritual practices and beliefs, and a host of other adaptive traits and characteristics…. Culture embraces both the actions of a people and the quality of their aspirations, the nature of metaphors that propel their lives" (page 33).

Culture is the ultimate complete work. It extends in all directions, encompasses all senses and evolves with time and people- changing and yet remaining the same. Artistic expression of this culture in all avenues; fine arts, music, architecture, design and fashion, help shape the evolution of our culture and make us more aware of its force in our lives. Engage with culture, it is a dynamic tool for the good life.