We Need Happy Art
Grey Wall and Rose Bush by Georganna Greene An idea floats in the cultural lexicon that pain makes good art. On the one hand, this is true. Feelings of sorrow, loneliness, grief, and anger often do inspire art, as it allows for an expression that words cannot always supply. It's why so many short stories are sad or shocking, so many poems are melancholy, so many paintings depict grief, and so many ballets are tragedies. The artistry of sadness has extended its reach so far that now art depicting joy, peace, or even simple beauty is often seen as shallow or frivolous. What if there were a different way? American poet Robert Frost, in his appreciation of the state of New Hampshire, mourns the non-existence of the Great American Novel. For decades, Americans have argued about whether there is a Great American Novel, just as other countries might have a national epic, and what the Great American Novel might be. Some suggest The Great Gatsby , others Uncle Tom's Cabin , but we ha...
