Negative emotion in art.

I am not that way. I cannot spend a great deal of time in appreciation of negative images. I am repelled by certain works of Picaso, as well as The Scream, as instances.

What about negative emotion in music?

We can't be perfect in all aspects. I love tearjerker songs. The artist and I are commiserating.

But why is it that we shy away from negative emotions else ware, but in art, especially music I think, we seem to like it?

It could be just purely aesthetic reasons, we appreciate how well the artist manages to capture an emotion, in which case we view it from a detached perspective.

If it is purely aesthetic, why would we want to view negative emotions?

It's an outlet.

**** happens.
You can either sit down and cry about it or write a song about it.
Or, if you can't write songs, you can listen to a song that someone else wrote about a similar experience.
It helps.
Don't know why, but it does.

Emotions are universal. The problem is, that many of us have been socialized not to share negative emotions. But when we see it in a piece of artwork, or hear it in a piece of music, the is a commonality about it that reaches us. We can understand that on some level, we are not alone, and there are others who are experiencing similar emotions.

If we cannot discuss how lousy we feel, we can relate to the painter or composer who has codified these emotions on paper, or on canvas.

Surely there isn't a single, unifying theory of art that explains why negative artworks, or any other kind for that matter, appeal to people? There are any number of reasons why someone enjoys negative emotions in art. Some of them have been mentioned here, but there are others. Is it really reasonable to expect that we can find one explanation that can account for the range of possible reasons behind artistic preferences?

Then there's the matter of beauty--not prettiness, but beauty, the asthetic bliss we experience in an incredibly sad drawing by Kathe Kollwitz or Goya or the music of Mahler or Schumann. It seems that art provides us with an opportunity to embrace the inherent sadness of life-- when it is coupled with beauty.
It must be noted, also, that this coupling in no way amounts to a mere sugarcoating of pain. It is a perspective on it.

"I would speculate that we relish negative emotion in art maybe because these emotions are generally absent in most social situations, and they tend to be things we shy away from or do not talk about often, even with people we are close to. We will happily talk about being happy, but rarely talk about how sad we sometimes feel."




Well, perhaps within your peer group. I'm older and we don't avoid talking about much, at least among my friends.

What can I say? Keep looking and don't always follow the best in the reviews.

Osso, who are you quoting.

And, regarding your last sentence, are you referring to art critics? If so, I agree whole-heartedly. We should be our own reviewers of others' creations. Authoritarianism in art is oxymoronic.

Osso was quoting Existential Potential's initial post.

Thanks, S.

reviews usually dont sway me.

Since you've opened this thread up again, I'd like to say that I don't like negative emotions, period. So I don't like art or music that are depressing, flat, chaotic, inexplicable (to me), or just jarring, out of accord. I like Picasso and I like Munch and don't find their work to be negative. It's simply an expression of something they saw/felt.

I don't like tear-jerker songs, books and movies. If I'm lonely, why would I want to listen to a lonely song and perhaps feel worse? I'd rather put on some peppy, happy stuff to get me out of my lonely thoughts. Incidentally, those sad movies wouldn't make me feel more down anyway because I think they're idiotic. Yes, just my opinion. Some people revel in them; I don't. Maybe I just think it's idiotic to watch/listen to/read them.

I don't want to feel sad, bereft, anxious, angry or any of those emotions and when I do, I get myself out of it asap.

I cannot abide fusion jazz because it's so chaotic (to me), much like I find abstract art. Well, some of it. And I think many installations (art) are stupid, too. Like a room full of bricks at the ROM, next to a room full of rope. WTH? Whatever!

Mame, I do not like to "suppress" sad emotions with happy stuff, as you call it. I prefer to follow the path of catharsis as did the Greeks by means of the ir art form, tragedy.

which emotions are negative?

they are all there for a reason.

the only negative emotion in art, IMO of course, is lack of emotion.(me lately, im like a black hole to emotion rofl!)

art is the appreciation of emotion. trying to define things only felt, on myriad medium.

Well, I wouldn't say I was suppressing anything. Many times in my life I have felt grief, sadness, regret, etc. What I suppose I am saying is that I don't like to feel that way, and will get through it on my own, no sad movies, etc to help me along. And if I'm not feeling sad, I choose to stay that way and so will not read/watch/listen to things that are sad.

Does that make it a bit clearer?

"There is a paradox in the appreciation of negative emotion in art. We do not shy away from negative emotion in art, like we normally do in everyday situations, rather we find satisfaction in it, we seem to appreciate it a lot more than positive emotion.

Why is this?"
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First, I think this is a great topic of acceptance/ appreciation of negative emotion in art versus acceptance/appreciation of positive emotion in art.

With the word 'art', I understand you to mean any Artistic Expression.

However, I find your hypothesis not to be completely a fact; rather, it is your opinion on Art. No or Yes?

This is not to say that you are incorrect.

Simply it is not true for all Art (works, expressions), that 'we' find satisfaction in "negative emotion in art", for all people.

Negative emotion in art may draw people to it for all certain reasons. One is, as you stated and I understand you to mean, that what not can not be done in society and be viewed as acceptable behaviour, can be expressed in art through perceived negative manners.

Without repercussions to a person nodding acceptance at what might be perceived as negative expressions of emotions, thoughts, beliefs, or any involvement of the human psyche.

This I say, from my viewpoint, my hypothesis.

Is a negative way more acceptable than positive outlooks, expressions>?
It seems to me both ways can be true.

The Art is The Expression of Emotions that are Not socially acceptable. It may not be acceptable to be overly positive or lovingly emotional, either. So nix on the positive side. Actions, thoughts need to be expressed through Art to be Acceptable?

Then flip the coin, and show the other side. Dark expressions of human nature have to be shown through the Veil of Art: To Be Socially Accepted and not have the creator of the art, Ostacized from "Society".

A subjective view. The art that I produce has been, can be, fairly on the dark side. In fact I had a painting assignment in college that was required to be done at independently. Any subject that we chose was acceptable. When the painting that I did freaked out the professor (a working artist whose pieces were in museums and respected galleries), because he accussed me of copying a certain artist's subject type: a painting of a soley one person. Not unusual. But, I copied the artist's painting technique, exactly.

I had no idea Who the artist was, let alone his style. This would mean not only failing, but I would be 'asked' to leave for (artistic) plagarism. Finally, I convinced the professor of my ignorance, and the painting was accepted.

Immediately, I went to the library and checked out a book on the artist in question. Then it was my turn to be freaked out. So dark and disturbing images went by me, page by page.

Yet I shun negative or dark artworks of any kind. It is as if I already know 'THAT'. Been there, done that, don't want to go back there again....until I may paint or make art that is on the dark side again.

However I am not drawn to negative or dark art. Rather when reviewing my preference for art, I am attracted to beautiful portrayals of bittersweet or underlying sad subjects.

So, full circle.

Now I ask myself, "do I agree or disagree with your thoughts?"

I come up empty handed, full of tangled thoughts and emotions.

This is certainly a thought provoking question you posed.

Is there an answer or only more questions?

I just think that there must be something positive that we gain from looking a piece of artwork that might be seen to convey negative emotion, or from listening to a "sad" song. someone has said that its an outlet for our emotions, in that what we cannot express ourselves, we find a similar expression in art or music that reaches into us. thats true, but that paradox is that that is a positive experience for the listener. all paradoxes are intriguing.