Reflection/Evaluation
Art can be defined in a variety of ways depending on the person; however, for me art is a visual creative form of expression that evokes emotion. When I first saw Basquiat's Untitled piece, I felt an instant connection and attraction to it. The color story and abstract of the piece intrigued me and I felt seen and understood - which is exactly the goal of an artist. Especially when the art piece deals with mental health and the loneliness struggling can have on someone, the artwork did the exact opposite and created a sense of comfort. Further, Dear Evan Hansen is a musical that requires an intense amount of work, dedication, time, effort and creativity to produce and execute. There is a connection and bond between the audience and main character where we're rooting for Evan and going through all the emotions and trials and tribulations along with him. The plot or story evokes a rollercoaster of emotions and moods such as anger, pity, comfort, heartwarming, disheartening, etc. Although Basquiat's Untitled art piece and Dear Evan Hansen musical both discuss mental health, isolation, and depression/anxiety, they approach it and emphasize different things. Baquiat was an influential and iconic New York artist who forever changed the arts and media to create beautiful, moving and timeless art pieces that forever resonate with many. Dear Evan Hansen was a musical that took broadway and live audience shows by storm, winning a multitude of different awards and high reviews as it brought a stigmatized and taboo conversation to the big stage of New York. Both forms of art were, in a way, trailblazers and paved the way for mental health to become a more open conversation, resources become more prevalent and available and change the perception of mental health struggles.
Bibliography:
Baronet, Laura. “Dear Evan Hansen (Musical) Plot & Characters.” StageAgent, https://stageagent.com/shows/musical/7745/dear-evan-hansen. Accessed 29 November 2022.
Michel-Basquiat, Jean. “Untitled - Jean-Michel Basquiat.” The Broad, 9 December 1982, https://www.thebroad.org/art/jean-michel-basquiat/untitled. Accessed 29 November 2022.
Bibliography:
Baronet, Laura. “Dear Evan Hansen (Musical) Plot & Characters.” StageAgent, https://stageagent.com/shows/musical/7745/dear-evan-hansen. Accessed 29 November 2022.
Michel-Basquiat, Jean. “Untitled - Jean-Michel Basquiat.” The Broad, 9 December 1982, https://www.thebroad.org/art/jean-michel-basquiat/untitled. Accessed 29 November 2022.