What Art Means to Me
Edvard Munch, Self-Portrait with Cigarette, 1895, oil on canvas, The National Gallery of Norway. | PC: Wikimedia Commons
Memento Artem
I’m sure at some point, if you’ve read one of my articles, you’ve seen my column title “Memento Artem.” This title was inspired by the artistic motif of Memento Mori, a Latin phrase which translates to, “remember you must die.” Memento Artem means “remember the art,” which has been a driving force behind my writing ever since becoming a Clocktower staff member.
I didn’t expect to be so passionate about art and its history, but that all changed when I took Arts and Ideas my sophomore year of college. During the class, I became fascinated with how it evolved throughout the ages. Art has both influenced and been influenced by different cultures throughout time. Moreover, I was captivated by individual artists and how their life experiences played a role in their work.
After Arts and Ideas, I spent many hours researching, reading and going to different galleries and museums. Art became an obsession of mine. I’d catch myself having thoughts like:
Why do people think art is boring? Do they not see how awesome it really is? It’s much more than what’s hung in a museum or sitting in a gallery. How can I share my passion for art with others in a way that’s interesting and fun?
The only answer I thought of was to write for The Clocktower, which provides a platform to express my passion by sharing interesting art information people may not have heard of before.
Additionally, I wanted to bring recognition to some of the unsung heros of art who’ve contributed so much to the world and deserve the spotlight.
During my time writing for The Clocktower, my thoughts on art matured and changed. I came to see it as something that has tremendous power. When it’s created by the right hands, art has the amazing ability to shatter barriers and bring humanity together in ways we often forget is possible. It’s truly awe-inspiring.
So, whether you’ve read a lot of my articles or just one, I hope you’ve been able to experience even an inkling of the intrinsic power art brings to our world. Also, I really do hope you join me in the practice of “Memento Artem” everyday. You might be surprised by the impact it has in your own life.
Cameron Cizek is a senior studying computing.