Untitled?

One of the artistic Web sites that I have begun to visit on a regular basis is called: DeviantArt.  Sort of a weird name, but it actually has a wide variety of artists and their work, from teenagers posting their doodles to real, professional and highly skilled artists.  My favorite part about the site is the ability to comment on pieces with the artist, and to get into a meaningful dialogue with them on their work.  Now, most comments are pretty simplistic: "Hey, beautiful photo!" and the like, but sometimes you can get some real feedback and maybe suggestions.

One of the things I like to do on that site is to take the time to really look at the art there, whether it's a painting, photo, digital image or sculpture, and try to "understand" the piece.  Now, understanding doesn't necessarily involve figuring out what a piece "means", but it does have components of getting into not only what sorts of thoughts or emotions were going through the artist's self and how he or she has reflected these in their artwork, but also getting a handle on what sorts of thoughts or emotions the piece elicits in me.  Obviously, some pieces speak more strongly than other pieces, and not all pieces are that "deep" in their meaning (though you could argue endlessly about how much every single piece by an artist reflects some level of the artists view of the world around them), but I at least want to give the artwork a chance to speak to me.

Two of the major pieces of this puzzle are the Title and Description, and in particular, the Title.  I know I have to be careful to not take titles too literally, but they are still an important window into what the artist him/herself sees in the work.  I have to say that, of all the artists I have met here, ChristineKalliri creates probably the most thoughtful and provoking titles that I have ever seen, though others (such as mialepson, pearwood and Nelleke) come up with some very creative and descriptive titles.  I even saw one painting here recently called, "The Blue Haired Girl", which might not seem that outstanding as a title, but even that gives me a hint what the artist was thinking of.  It's more than simply a label or tag.  It's a key to unlock the heart of the piece itself.

When I look at a piece, together with what the artist has titled it, I can begin to relate to the piece, to see what little bits and pieces the artist has included, or how they have cropped down certain portions, or how the subject's shoulders or eyes are turned, how their fingers are clenched or relaxed, whether the mouth is open, relaxed, pursed or pulled into an artificial smile.  The lighting begins to have significance, or even how a sculptor chooses to turn a 3D piece to photograph it.  Why did the photographer choose to point into the sun, creating a flair that obscures most of the rest of the photo?  Is their focus tightly concentrated on one aspect, or muted and soft?

I know...  Creating a good title can be hard.  Sometimes I know a piece's title even before I start sculpting it -- the picture in my head is that strong.  Other pieces may grow titles as I work on them.  Sometimes a piece will "tell" me what its title is.  (That's a little bit of an odd experience!)  I have some other pieces where I know what I am thinking when I look at the piece, but a good, non-cliche title still escapes me.

It bothers me when an artist hasn't really titled a piece (unless, of course, it's a WIP, and may not have a title yet).  It's like the piece isn't really finished yet.  It's kind of a cop-out in a way, a shortcut, or perhaps even a lack of real respect for (or belief in) the artist's own work.  I know, even I have some untitled pieces (mostly in progress shots), and maybe I'm admitting that I'm unsure of the validity of the piece.  Maybe I haven't even figured out the sculpture in my own mind.  (I know I have some of those.)  But, if a piece is finished, I really want it to have a title.

So, if you're reading this, then really pause and take the time to give your photos or paintings or sculptures a name, just as you would give your child a name.  It doesn't mean you are constraining your piece to that one thought or topic, or even that you completely understand your own emotions as you created the work or as you look at it now, but it does mean that you respect and value your own art, and even yourself as an artist, enough to introduce it to the world as part of yourself.

Blessings!