The Whole Ball of Wax

I found the article The Whole Ball of Wax to be something of a mind game. As someone coming from little to no art background, art is commonly something overlooked in my day to day life. I will rarely go out of my way to examine art and look deeper into the image that merely meets my eye.

Hoptman and Eleey would be the opposite of someone such as myself because they are looking at ways to recognize art for all the more that it offers other than being aesthetically pleasing. I thought it was interesting to see how they talked about the ways some people look at art with objective eyes. This is because they are closed off to the meaning behind a work. What I liked most was Oscar Wilde's quote, "The moment you think you understand a work of art it's dead for you." Art really is an amazing thing because there is no set meaning to it. Unlike a math equation or algorithm that are bound to concrete answers, art is open to interpretation and allows you to create your own.

Reading this article encourages me to be the opposite of those described as the thought police. A huge pet peeve of mine are people that are not open to interpretation and other's opinions. Therefore, in terms of art and all other aspects of my life, I'd like to take the time now to think outside the box the next time I find myself at a museum or piece of art. I love the way the authors describe art as an experience rather than an understanding. This is because art creates new thought through structure.
When reflecting on the question, can art change the world? I believe it not only has the potential to change the world but also provide people with the opportunity to find order in the things that seem to have none at all.