Supernovae

Art is all about perspective. By yourself, it can be easy to become self-centred. We reinforce and elaborate our own impressions, and confirm them to ourselves. Many times, we oversimplify facts that sustain our opinions and make the world fit into our assumptions. Let’s say we meet at a party, and Richard – who is, frankly, a bit ‘off’ – tells Johanna that you are not a particularly kind person, and then told Catherine that you are probably the nicest person he knows. As the designated driver, you declined that last glass of fine wine that was offered. Johanna had the impression that you did not appreciate the gesture, nor did you want to continue partying with them (seriously – the wine isn’t good enough for you?); whereas Catherine thought it was very nice for you to refuse the expensive wine so that Richard (who bought it) could have some more – so noble!This confirmation bias helps us to reinforce our own opinions, and reality can be turned into a black-and-white verification or denial of our chosen beliefs. Our eyes are somewhat fooled by what we want to see. Vasarely is one painter who knows how misleading our perception can be. The optical properties of his paintings distort the immediate understanding of perception, and sometimes completely challenge recognition altogether. His work almost pokes at the observer’s eye to trigger different appreciations. It delays the immediate impulse to define, suggesting a deeper meaning from what we can grasp.What does Frankenstein’s creation (the monster) have to do with it? He is, like so many other complex characters, the “not-so-living” proof that believing in our first impressions and having strong black-and-white opinions, will most of the times keep us away from the truth. Sofya Marmeladov, for example, is one that really made me rethink some themes like prostitution…Reality is always more intricate than what we conjure, and this is the importance of gazing longer at whatever we admire – not to condemn or approve automatically according to our own opinions and bias. Mary Shelley (you should Google her; and we should be able to insert links in the upcoming update), author of the often misunderstood work “Frankenstein or The Modern Prometheus”, once wrote, “I am not a person of opinions because I feel the counter arguments too strongly.”

Artur Deus Dionisio