Boston is home to many fine institutions of the art such as the Boston Symphony, the Boston
Ballet and the Museum of Fine Arts. These institutions offer tremendous discounts to students
and I am grateful that I have such plentiful opportunities to be exposed to world-class art
and artists.
But another aspect of what I like about Boston is that there are many amateurs who
participate in the arts scene. I enjoy witnessing their work. There are tons of choirs,
chamber music groups, dance companies and orchestras consisting of artists who pursue their
craft while holding other full-time jobs. There are many photographers, sculptors and painters
as well.
Perhaps "amateur" is an insulting word to describe them, since they've often gone to the
best conservatories, art schools and universities to cultivate their skills.
For whatever reason, however, they earn their living doing something else. They usually
perform for free or take only token donations, so it's obvious that my going to their concerts
will hardly help them pay their rent. However, I try to show them my support by being present
in the audience.
It's true that part of this is because I want to be a "good citizen" and I want to
acknowledge the efforts of persons who pursue art out of sheer love ... but more than that,
I go because I enjoy it.
My advisor's wife, Idahlia, studied art history as a graduate student and has been painting
seriously for decades. Nowadays, she has been curating small exhibits for the Gallery of
Social/Political Art in downtown Boston. The gallery doesn't have its own permanent space - it
rents a room from a church for its exhibits - and it doesn't even charge admission, but it
has about three shows a year.
I have had the privilege of going to the opening reception of a few of the shows that Idahlia
has helped organize. Today I went to an exhibition entitled, "War, Peace and Justice." About
10 artists were featured.
Most of the visitors seemed to be the friends and families of the artists and the whole
reception had a very homey feel. For instance, many items on the refreshment table were
obviously homemade. Over years of attending amateur arts events, I have come to expect this.
Indeed, I have come to enjoy it.
There is something to be said for the warm interaction between artists and the visitors that
one sees at this sort of event. My guess is that
aspiring (or failed) professional artists do
not find solace in the unconditional praise of friends and family members, but as an
attendee, I like witnessing that kind of warm support.
Like most people, I enjoy amateur and professional performances in different ways: I am a harsh
judge of restaurant food, but at a friend's home, I appreciate hospitality more than any fancy
dish; I look for perfect artistry at Symphony Hall, but a warm group atmosphere when watching my
friends play chamber music in a church.
Idahlia still paints and she has four paintings in the exhibit that I saw today. What I like
most about her work is that it conveys her love for people. She always paints pictures of
masses of people, often faceless, but nevertheless moving together as a whole. Given the
name of the gallery, it is no big surprise that Idahlia is a very liberal and socially
conscious woman.
She exhibits an almost girlish enthusiasm and curiosity toward the world that I find very
appealing, especially considering that she was born before the war and has two grown children. I
feel this warmth in her painting.
Perhaps the famous paintings hanging on the walls of the Museum of Fine Arts speak for
themselves without any live interaction between the artists and visitors. But the wonderful thing
about local exhibits is that visitors can really connect the character of the artist with the
artwork itself. Perhaps personal knowledge of the artist should not matter in one's judgment of
a work. But that is a great part of what I look for when I go to small local events.
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