Having an Art History Moment
I seem to have stumbled across a glut of anti-cosplay essays, in every single one, a subjective opinion being presented, tacitly, as an objective one. They go something like this:
a) People who dress in costumes are often aesthetically displeasing to me.
b) The costumes often demonstrate poor craftsmanship.
c) I have been socially indoctrinated to believe that fantasy play should be constrained to childhood or "other cultures" as it represents primitive neurological development; it makes me uncomfortable to witness such open displays of imaginative creativity.
Corollary) I assume the participating artist fails to distinguish between fact and fiction and therefore believe they are, or wish to be, the character his or her costume represents.
Corollary) A person cannot be a fictional concept so there is no rational purpose to this artistic medium, for the illusion is doomed to fail, by virtue of realism.
d) I can't understand contextual art; it's weird.
To which I always make the mental reply of: This Is Not a Pipe.
A nuanced understanding between the boundaries of fact and fiction, how one may affect the other to communicate a message, within specific social contexts, is required to use symbolism effectively. Imaginative, creative play is a benchmark of mental health and complexity, rather than degradation and a static rejection of fantasy does not automatically confer maturity upon a person. Artistic display of any kind requires more social courage than most people have. Subjective like or dislike is irrelevant to its objective value as artistic expression, though an artist must always be prepared to endure public hostility. In a nutshell: That cosplayer has balls and knows how to play, even if he or she is fugly.
More to the point, people have been dressing up in goofy costumes, representing their favorite gods and heroes, within communal settings, for the purpose of celebration, since the dawn of human culture. Costumes are right up there with scribbling on walls and making stuff out of mud, because human beings just love symbolic display. It is an ubiquitous tradition. Honestly, how profoundly deficient in art history must a person be to believe costumes are inherently abnormal?
There's a good chance you wore a costume today.
a) People who dress in costumes are often aesthetically displeasing to me.
b) The costumes often demonstrate poor craftsmanship.
c) I have been socially indoctrinated to believe that fantasy play should be constrained to childhood or "other cultures" as it represents primitive neurological development; it makes me uncomfortable to witness such open displays of imaginative creativity.
Corollary) I assume the participating artist fails to distinguish between fact and fiction and therefore believe they are, or wish to be, the character his or her costume represents.
Corollary) A person cannot be a fictional concept so there is no rational purpose to this artistic medium, for the illusion is doomed to fail, by virtue of realism.
d) I can't understand contextual art; it's weird.
To which I always make the mental reply of: This Is Not a Pipe.
A nuanced understanding between the boundaries of fact and fiction, how one may affect the other to communicate a message, within specific social contexts, is required to use symbolism effectively. Imaginative, creative play is a benchmark of mental health and complexity, rather than degradation and a static rejection of fantasy does not automatically confer maturity upon a person. Artistic display of any kind requires more social courage than most people have. Subjective like or dislike is irrelevant to its objective value as artistic expression, though an artist must always be prepared to endure public hostility. In a nutshell: That cosplayer has balls and knows how to play, even if he or she is fugly.
More to the point, people have been dressing up in goofy costumes, representing their favorite gods and heroes, within communal settings, for the purpose of celebration, since the dawn of human culture. Costumes are right up there with scribbling on walls and making stuff out of mud, because human beings just love symbolic display. It is an ubiquitous tradition. Honestly, how profoundly deficient in art history must a person be to believe costumes are inherently abnormal?
There's a good chance you wore a costume today.