Brain Food #531
Life can be funny
Thoughts of the day
Does art always have to be serious?
Duchamp was the first artist-satirist, challenging what could be defined as art with his infamous urinal. Perhaps he simply realised that tragedy and comedy are often intermingled, that a life of absolute seriousness was impossible, as was a life of pure nonsense. As Schopenhauer wrote, “The life of every individual, viewed as a whole and in general, and when only its most significant features are emphasized, is really a tragedy; but gone through in detail it has the character of a comedy.”
And, similarly, in many comical pieces, there is a hard-hitting element of truth waiting to be found.
Comedy is not just for fun; it makes us better people, by revealing the ridiculous nature of our existence.
Wishing you a light weekend ahead.
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