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Hamlet tells us the purpose of Art is “to hold a mirror up to nature.” Art focuses our vision onto what is important. It shows us things that are part of human existence and part of being made in the image of God. A piece of art grabs our attention and sympathy and says, “look at this – this is true and important.” When Art grabs us and makes us look at something, we experience the truth, much like we would if we had actually lived through the experience (it’s that mirror being held up to nature!). We know the truth in a different way after that experience – more than head knowledge is now involved. Hopefully, this experience of truth changes us: what we think, how we live, whether we continue to look for truth. We are not usually changed in such a way that we can say, “ah yes, last night my life was changed forever when I watched that story of the Ugly Duckling; I will never be the same again.” It’s more like stirring cake batter – it takes hundreds of strokes to get the batter all mixed together. Northland Words just holds up the mirror, stirs the cake batter; we can look at what’s reflected in it, help hold the mirror, or do neither. |