Problems with Sentimental Art - Research Paper Example

Same way this world is also filled with beautiful things and ugly things. Artists often portray the beautiful side of this world. However, there are instances in which artists create various art forms which may provoke sentiments knowingly or unknowingly, rather than pleasant feelings. These sentiments may cause immense damages in the remaining life of the art viewer. In other words sentimental arts cause more damages to the art viewer than goods. This paper analyses the problems with sentimental arts.

(Gatalo, p.21) “Sentimentality is an ambiguous concept and it is defined as an emotional disposition that idealizes its object for the sake of emotional gratification and that is inherently corrupt because it is grounded in epistemic and moral error” (Gatalo, p.22). The above picture, Roses for Stalin, portrayed by Boris Vladimirsky extracts so many sentiments in the minds of the viewer. The above art is not generating any sense of beauty in the minds of the viewer whereas it generates lot of sentiments.

In other words, this art failed to fulfil its basic and moral responsibility of satisfying the viewer through its beauty. In other words, it gave more importance to sentiments rather than beauty. A person who watches this art may develop the unpleasant memories of Stalin era and subsequently his mental agony could be intensified. Roses for Stalin is anomalous, even among sentimental artworks, because the judgments it urges us to accept are so outrageous. Stalin’s identity as a historical figure so sharply contradicts how he is represented in the painting that it renders this depiction preposterous, if not offensive.

This is such an obtrusive and distracting feature of the work that it cancels out the possibility of any serious aesthetic engagement with it. Most significantly this undermines the painting’s affective power—a savvy viewer cannot partake of the warm feelings it is meant to inspire. Insofar as this feeling is central to the design and meaning of the work, this falsity amounts to its aesthetic failure. (Gatalo, p.26). Sentimental emotions are entirely different from standard emotions. While standard emotions always generate pleasant and unpleasant feelings, sentimental emotions always generate corrupted feelings.

Sentimental emotions are corrupted because of its inability in judging things with the help of sound reasoning. In other words, sentiments are always motivated emotionally rather than factually. The picture, Roses for Stalin, forces the viewer to think about the positive sides of Stalin era and it completely avoids the memories about the negative sides of Stalin era. In other words, the above picture is a deliberate attempt to portray Stalin as a saint. In short, sentimental arts often glorify a person or scene.

It may keep a blind eye towards the negative aspects of the person or the scene. It is an accepted fact that during Stalin era, Soviet Union faced severe problems. However, the above picture may not remind the viewer about such things. Anxious Mother: A piece of sentimental art about a young girl putting her dolls to bed (Antique Photos - Sentimental and Fine Art) In the above sentimental picture, a young girl is portrayed as putting her dolls in bed. The above painting will definitely reminds us about our childhood.

The emotion in the face of the girl portrayed in this picture is very sad. It reminds us the feeling of a lonely girl who tries to keep company with dolls. In other words, feeling of loneliness is the major