From the Fountainhead to the Future summary Alexandra York BBS 2nd Year English

 From the Fountainhead to the Future by Alexandra York

 

*Fountainhead is an original source of something, type of beginning, origin, root, or source. Here in this essay, it means the art and ideas of ancient Greek.
*Renaissance -पुनर्जागरण a revival or rebirth, especially of culture and learning.

Renaissance is a French word meaning “rebirth.” It refers to a period in European civilization that was marked by a revival of classical learning and wisdom.
*iconoclasts - एक व्यक्ति जसले स्थापित विश्वास वा संस्थाहरूमा आक्रमण गर्दछ a person who attacks settled beliefs or institutions

* nihilists-ईश्वरमा विश्वास नगर्ने व्यक्ति A person who does not believe in God.

Representational art refers to art that represents something in particular paintings and sculptures, that have been created by accurately copying real object sources.

Brief idea

This is an essay where the writer rejects 20th-century spiritless human values and meaningless art and ideas and other concepts. She wants to bring the American Renaissance of high culture in art. Renaissance is the rebirth of everything it means advancement and development in every sector. It took place from the 14th century to the 17th century in Europe. They took ideas from Ancient Greek and instead of copying their art and ideas, they created a true rebirth of ideas. Greek ideals were the moral and spiritual nourishment of the individual, the undivided self, individual excellence of personal character, and so on. Their art and ideas still uplift the human spirit. In this sense Ancient Greek art, ideas are the fountainhead- the source for human values, spirituality, physical fitness art and ideas, and so on. 

There was morality and spirituality in American art and culture but after the early mid-twentieth century and toward the end of this century. There came divisions in everything. there was a lack of morality and spirituality in art and human life. Art is distorted and the true value and beauty of art were lost. People became money-oriented and self-centered. Family, relations were secondary for them. Therefore to uplift human values, spirituality, beauty and to provide a golden future to the coming generation through art it is necessary to bring American Renaissance in art and ideas.

York suggested that to get Renaissance of high culture in art and ideas to the 21st century of America. We must take ideas from Ancient Greek and instead of copying their ideas we must reborn them and bring a shining future Culture. For it, she advised us to join together to open a new, clear channel through which our reborn values can flow from the fountainhead to the future.

Summary

This is an essay written by Alexandra York. In this essay, she appeals for a revival of the American Renaissance in art for the 21^st century. For it, she wants to begin with the ancient's Greeks ideal: the moral and spiritual nourishment of the individual, the undivided self. At that time individuals were moral, spiritual, and conscious of physical fitness. People were not divided into different terms. Their great art still uplifts the spirit of people all over the globe. According to them, art could be used as a universal language.

By the early mid-twentieth century, people became self-centered and money-minded. There was a lack of spirituality. Objective standards of judgment of art were ridiculed. (were made fun) Anything and everything was called art if the art is said good by famous critics. As a result, twentieth century American iconoclasts became nihilists. 

She added that towards the end of this century, some opposition forces like individuals escaping from reality and responsibility, divisions between men and women, mind and body,  reason and emotion, art and meaning, etc. are well established and working hard to further degrade our culture and creating problem to set our feet on the path of Renaissance of high culture.

Nowadays there is raw sensationalism and absence of values in TV, movies, the visual arts, popular fiction, music, and so on due to which art is distorted. The media mongers rush to find out serial killers, rapists, and child molesters. Except few, they don't think to explore the souls of heroes, creators, and achievers. We live in an emotionally conflicted age. Family bonds and ties are secondary while money has become the center of happiness. So York thinks that we need emotional fuel. This means not only the mind, but the heart and the soul should also be nurtured.

She advises in the world divisions among different terms are increasing, so we must seek commonality among individuals who share universal (common) values and eternal(timeless) truths (the truth that doesn’t change over time) that hold for all humankind. In an artistic environment that glorifies ugliness, we must respect beauty.(कुरूपताको महिमा गर्ने कलात्मक वातावरणमा, हामीले सुन्दरताको सम्मान गर्नुपर्छ)

Within beauty, we must respect order, proportion, balance harmony, and grace too. (or the writers perhaps says within beauty these all things lies) Beauty possesses redemptive (छुटकारा दिने) powers but when it is created by human hand, it can be even more redemptive, more powerful, because it is created with intent. In some art, beauty involves human values which help to experience our own best self. The art that expresses universality of humanistic meaning and rises above time and place is "high art." It is an expression of aesthetic values, communicates timeless and universal human values.

She pleads in her essay for representationalism in the visual arts (visual art should present the outer world), tonality and melody in music, grace and clear self-expression of movement in dance and meaning in written works. The form of art can stretch, bend, twist, turn, expand, and reduce to accommodate (put) endless meanings. The art form can be distorted as a result it pollutes the human figure and art displays a hatred for art and life itself.

Acording to the writer, art is a way to a better future it is the shortcut of philosophy. She suggests painters, sculptors, writers, composers, dancers, musicians, actors, poets, audiences, and patrons all that those who love life and the art that enhances living must seek out other same types of individuals and join together to enjoy art and enrich our moments on this earth through art experiences that lift up our spirits, move us to contemplative चिन्तनशील thought and remind us why life is worth living.

She praises Renaissance Europeans because they did not try to repeat the Greek ideal but created a true rebirth of ideas. They redefined the Greek ideal to suit their own needs. They succeeded. She says, now it is Americans' time to enter into a shining future culture. Instead of copying Greek art, we need to take ideas from Greek art and give the fresh and innovativeness in the art.

She boldly asserts, Art filled with beauty that expresses life-serving values and humanistic ideas is a powerful expression of that light, which was ignited(catch fire) in ancient Greece, renewed during the European Renaissance and reflected across all civilization ever in a countless variety that celebrate individual achievement and excellence. Now she encouraged to bring American Renaissance in art and ideas and to join together to open a new, clear channel through which our reborn values can flow from the fountainhead to the future.