Is subjectivity overly celebrated in the arts but unfairly condemned in history? discuss with reference to the arts and history.

Subjectivity is the idea that perception emerges from someone’s point of view (Audrey Kobayashi, 2020, p. xx). This usually includes personal bias, unlike objectivity. The Arts, widely known to celebrate subjectivity to promote freedom of expression, perspective, and emotion, include Theatre, Literature, Visual Arts, and Music. This essay, however, will reference the Arts in the parameters of Visual Arts. History is the body of knowledge about the past produced by historians, together with everything that is involved in the production, communication, and teaching of that knowledge (Tok Resource, n.d.). The recounting of history is important to the progression of humanity. It tells us about our actions and nature. The celebration of subjectivity in the arts and its condemnation in history often stems from the different purposes and expectations associated with these two domains. But, the over-celebration of subjectivity devalues the visual arts, just like the lack of subjectivity contributes to an unfair recounting of history.

Firstly, subjectivity is overly celebrated in the Arts because of the devaluation of technical skill. Technical skill can be defined as the ability to create art using subject matter, medium and technique (ArtHouzUK, 2023). It’s important in art because it enables artists to express themselves with clarity and impact. The idea that “Art is subjective” has devalued the level and rigour at which art is being taught under the false impression that because art is intrinsically subjective, gaining basic art skills, principles, and elements is unimportant (Reddit, 2020). Falsely, it is believed that concept trumps visual qualities. I express this due to the definition and purpose of ‘visual arts’; creative art whose products are to be appreciated by sight, such as painting, sculpture, and film (Oxford Languages, 2020). Before appreciation by the mind, the arts are to be appreciated by the eyes. But there is more emphasis on subjectivity and the interpretation of the artwork, which in this case can be seen as the message and meaning, as opposed to its visuals.

For example, Maurizio Cattelan created an art piece ‘Comedian’ that demonstrates the aforementioned situation. It differs from traditional art as it is simply a banana taped to a wall. Despite this, it sold for $120,000 (Luke O'Neil, 2019, p. xx) because of its conceptual qualities. This shows how the unimportance of technical skill leads to the over-celebration of subjectivity, which has significant implications for how people understand and appreciate visual arts. The visual qualities do not compensate or aid the viewer in the interpretation and appreciation of the work. Alongside the lack of allowing deep interpretation, the risk of overshadowing artistic techniques and traditions is displayed.

Subjectivity is also over-celebrated in the arts because Artists use art to make social commentary. An example is Duchamp, who wanted to submit an artwork to the Society of Independent Artists’ salon. They claimed they would accept any art, so he presented an upside-down urinal signed and dated “R. Mutt, 1917,” titled Fountain (Mann, 2017). The Society’s board rejected Fountain because, in their perspective, it was not a true work of art. Duchamp, a member of that board, resigned in protest. The importance of Fountain has been stated to be the fact that “ He CHOSE it... he created a new thought for that object.” (Mann, 2017)

This situation poses the question ‘Who gets to decide what is art, the artist or the critic?’ (Mann, 2017). Subjectivity comes into play when analysing how it is celebrated in these contexts. Duchamp's piece has been celebrated because it is subjective with a message to send, while on the other hand most modern art, like ‘Comedian’ is subjective because of the lack of skill. The piece illustrates this to answer ‘Who decides what is art’. A piece can be called a work of art when the audience and artist share the same perspective that the work is indeed art. (Mann, 2017).
 

This erosion of technical skill threatens the ability of viewers to engage fully and appreciate the meticulous craft and skill embedded in visual creations. Accordingly, introducing condemnation of subjectivity may fuel artists to focus on the visual qualities of Art. This could mitigate the issue of art losing its primary purpose as a visual form, while still retaining the nature of subjectivity.

Although, sometimes subjectivity is not overly celebrated, rather it is an inherent characteristic of art. For example, colour, an element of art, is best described as a phenomenon we all experience differently. Philosophers have long mistrusted them due to their subjective nature (Patterson, J., Poppy, S., Vaughan, A., 2017). To explore this, I chose a piece of work and experimented with a group of students to determine whether they viewed an artwork the same way. I chose Joan Miro, Peinture (Etoile Bleue), 1927. Testing it out on 5 peers, many of the answers contrasted. One student believed they were looking at a war scene, with the red representing blood and the lines representing chaos. Another believed it was an acceptance of self-love for women. The blue was representative of peace within one. Blue generally indicates serenity, peace, and calmness to that person. Ultimately, colour is often perceived based on our personal experiences. Factors like individual perception and personal associations influence our experiences of colour and other art elements, consequently impacting our entire interpretation of the artwork. That being said, it is possible for artwork to be subjective and have technical skills because no person sees an artwork in the same manner.

However, subjectivity in history is unfairly condemned, as it can be a vehicle for inclusivity and provide certainty and evidence to situations, allowing us to reach the truth. Not only that, it can help explore the nuanced experiences of different communities affected by historical events, especially those that historically have not been granted power. Primarily, the evidence we have of historical events plays a big role in how they are portrayed and the knowledge we consume. Different perspectives and interpretations allow for a more comprehensive analysis of various possibilities in historical events.

The lack of promoting subjectivity and instead pushing hard narratives of historical events can turn into an issue because oftentimes mediums of learning could function as a form of propaganda instead of a purely educational tool (Jiheyon Kim, 2019). History is predominantly taught through textbooks, even in IB. The lack of subjectivity can mean that the unheard voices of the past can forever be unheard. A key example is ‘Comfort Women’, women who were forced to work as sex slaves during World War II. This war crime turned into a conflict between Japan and Korea, and history textbooks in Korea were used as propaganda. In 2015, President Park Geun-hye and her party changed all history textbooks to be directly government-published. Many were concerned that this could serve as a base for a particular ideology. This came true— in one version of the history textbook, the term ‘Comfort Woman’ was completely erased and instead was replaced with a euphemism (Jiheyon Kim, 2019). Many other politics and economics textbooks published such as Jikkyo Shuppan, Shimizu Shoin, Yamakawa Shuppansha, and Daiichi Gakusho had to reword and reprint their textbooks following this change (Hankyoreh, 2022, p. xx). This angered many Korean citizens because it signified how pro-Japan the government was. This suggests that history can be used to manipulate and change our ideology. The celebration of subjectivity is a way for us to question what we have been taught, allowing us to uncover different evidence which may lead to different truths.

Additionally, Subjectivity allows for critical evaluation and examination of what we learn in history instead of blindly accepting what we are told. In essence, subjectivity in history extends beyond a mere questioning of sources. A key part of learning history should be learning how to distinguish between the true and the false for ourselves, criticize, analyze, and share different perspectives on historical events (Jiheyon Kim, 2019). It brings forth the voices of the marginalized, challenges authoritative narratives, and fosters a more inclusive and truthful understanding of the past. Different perspectives lead to retellings. They allow new evidence to be uncovered, helping us understand the causes and happenings of historical events. This helps us learn better from them. Embracing diverse perspectives and acknowledging the power dynamics inherent in historical storytelling, subjectivity contributes to a richer, more comprehensive historical narrative.

On the other hand, subjectivity is fairly condemned in history due to concerns about biased interpretations. History is meant to be accurate and provide us with knowledge that helps us understand people and societies about human life, which would be more useful if it were accurate. Subjectivity in history may not always be helpful because each person will see history differently. Reaching solid truth would be hard, thus hindering us from getting the knowledge needed from history. To illustrate this, the long disputed history of Israel and Palestine is difficult to resolve because it is interpreted differently by Palestinians and Israelis, as seen in the video ‘Can Israelis and Palestinians See Eye to Eye? || Creators for Change | Middle Ground’. In this video, a Palestinian views the conflict as destructive and targeted to Palestinians, while Israeli views it as the right to defend the state (Jubilee, 2018). The discourse around the entire conflict and questioning of evidence makes it harder to reach a common ground as illustrated in the video, thus hindering our ability to reach the truth.

In conclusion, subjectivity plays a dual role in arts and history. While the celebration of subjectivity in the Visual Arts led to a decline in technical skill and a focus on conceptualism, it’s important for creative expression. Conversely, subjectivity is unfairly condemned in history, where it encourages inclusivity, challenges authoritative narratives, and provides a deeper understanding of past events. The lack of subjectivity in history suppresses certain voices. Regardless of the different roles they play, subjectivity is crucial in bettering and advancing these fields.

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