ART IS MEANINGLESS

Art is Meaningless BY GEORGE NASR ‘22

Maybe it’s true . Maybe we’re all painted in the shades of our parents . But I believe that it’s who we are, not who we’re supposed to be, that defines us . All art is essentially meaningless; that’s why it means so much to me . A space to create, explore, make your own, share with others, and immerse yourself into; a space that is yours and everyone else’s . I had always done art, but I had never truly understood it . When I lived in England, art was nothing but a slot on the timetable, a waste of time . However, when I moved to America, I was isolated from what I knew; with a whole life left behind, I had no choice but to paint myself a new one . Art gave me a way to channel my negativity into a positive means of expression . Every medium struck me as a new experience; oil painting, architecture, animation, all merging into a sensation of freedom, of belonging, that I desperately needed at the time . I was proud to call myself an artist .

But I never realised how much that really meant . It was only after a lunchtime conversation with my dad that I realised how lucky I was to have that opportunity, that freedom, of calling myself an artist without any familial pressure on my shoulders . Coming from a LebanesePalestinian background, it’s never as simple as just being yourself: for most families, you’re a banker, a lawyer, a businessman, or a failure . That’s how it was in my father’s household, and his father’s, and his father’s; that’s how it probably would’ve been in mine - something that I had never realised . My dad wanted to be a stand-up comedian; he had the talent, the drive, the passion; but he never had the one thing that mattered: a chance . He was mocked openly by his parents and labelled the failure of the family . Shackled, confined by their expectations, overshadowed by his “successful” siblings, he went on to achieve “success” as a hedge-fund associate . Still, he lost the one thing that defined him: passion . After that conversation, we paid the tab, left the restaurant and walked out as if it were a typical day . But my step was slowed by a sense of gravity; did I deserve this freedom? Should I feel shame for having what so many others don’t? Amid this turmoil, I realised what mattered; it’s not what you inherit but what you make of it . My dad made the conscious choice to break the cycle, believe in me, and support my ambitions . He taught me to value the privileges I’ve been given and, more importantly, that a spreadsheet doesn’t measure success .

I won’t pretend that my artistic skills are unparalleled; I haven’t won any prizes; I won’t pat myself on the back and dub myself the next Michaelangelo, but therein lies the reason why I love art so much . You aren’t defined by what other people call “success” or “talent”; you aren’t defined at all . You’re free of labels, of constraints; you get a blank slate, and color it in with who you are . All art is essentially meaningless . That’s why it means so much to me .