“What lies beyond the canvas” by MM

There’s something more to the art than its beauty. It sounds very cliche but, last night, while
surfing the internet, I saw a painting that is utterly weird and unusual for a viewer to see. There
was this man in the cell and her daughter outside the bars, carrying a baby. Instead of the
daughter breastfeeding her baby, it was his father who did it. I was astonished. It may be insane,
but I try to comprehend why and what is it trying to say? Why did the man do it? And then I
scrolled down to see the description and was surprised by the answer. The daughter is trying to
save her father every time she visits him in jail because the man was sentenced to die in hunger.
However, the guards are suspicious about why the man is not dead yet whereas three months
have passed already. From there, this is what they saw. (refer to the picture)

From that narrative, I attest, that is the point of art. The more unlikely it is, the more an
individual is curious to seek answers, and that what makes art a social communication. It allows
our mind to think critically and assess why an artist painted this art. The Whys and Hows that
make it odd captivate interest. We may think that the painting represents the exploitation of
women. Assuming such thought, this stimulates our ability to challenge our schemas and
preconceptions. These questions unanswered in their minds could also be asked by people
passing by, which proves how art is communicative in nature. That is where the social-epistemic
value of art begins.

With this subject, all the things I have learned have proven to me that art is not just about beauty.
Art appreciation is basically appreciating the art itself. A lot of us may look at what is on the
surface and not try to dive deeper into it. Perhaps, an art piece should also catch attention.
Though, a surreal piece of art would surely level the same, or even more, attentiveness as soon as
it meets the eye. 

You know, everyone can be an artist regardless of their age or background. This is simply your
voice and another way to express yourself. They say these paintings, or art pieces in general,
have projected meaningful stories. And that is what we are about to find out, What lies beyond
the canvas.