The Beauty of the Ordinary

What is it about art that we value it so much? Why does a stilleben capture our attention, even if it were a simple pair of shoes by Van Gogh? Perhaps it is the light, the way light falls on the object, or perhaps it is some mysterious being in the object that somehow reveals itself - just for some moments, and then again vanishes into oblivion, back into the ordinary. Still, for those moments its beauty shone, and as a bystander, you may come to admire it, even relate to it. I wonder if you have noticed this? Have you let yourself become enamoured with the sheer beauty of an ordinary object that somehow all of a sudden stands out and shines?

There is a connection between art and truth, a connection which is hard to define and limit in the realm of vocabulary. It is a world of its own; it communicates non-verbally. What is it about the artwork, I asked, that we value it? Perhaps it is the connection with beauty, belonging and truth that captures us. We like to be surrounded by it.

A myriad of images in my mind, images of ordinary things becoming the regal agents, be it a white book shelf, a metal swing door, a patch on a business office carpet, the inner room beyond the kitchen, or the sanctuary in our village church...all bring the beauty of this world into my soul, and it enriches me. I may capture many beautiful artefacts wherever they are, behold them, and never touch them: Beauty is such that I can fully enjoy it without having to 'own' it.

Art, architecture and interpretation: As I sat in church this morning, the sunlight shone brightly in from the left glass stained window, and it let the altar bathe in bright and golden light. The candle flame was still visible, but the segment of the altar shone in its purity. Light has cleansing properties: it reveals, it brings forth honesty, bareness, innocence. As the young priest later stood in the area of light, it reflected off his white garments. In my interpretative mind, I saw the light, the white covering of the religious garments, and I thought of being covered by Jesus.