I was looking through Wikipedia recently, randomly looking through histories of countries when I came across an entry about Illuminated Manuscripts.
In graphic design classes we had to study the manuscripts for their historical value, as they, along with the Carolignian type, were the first actual graphic design layouts (debatably).
The intricate detail was immense, and considering people spent their entire lives to creating these 'illuminations', it stands to reason that they're among the most detailed and amazing works of art on the planet.
I think for the most part, the art of illustration has been looked down upon as being shuffled away with other 'artistic endeavors' in current western culture, whereas in the middle ages, art was considered a very spiritual exercise, and those who created it to be enlightened. Art itself was a spiritual and deeply emotional expression, and therefore schools who taught art were among the highest institutions academically.
Even in the eastern culture, art is not separate from everyday life, and many in current Eastern cultures consider it a deeply emotional or spiritual exercise.
Have we lost something in this modern age where artists are generally considered nuts?
What has happened that whenever sitcoms portray the 'artistic aunt' or relative that they automatically hug trees and talk to plants or try to commune with beavers?
It seems that somehow the aristocratic and socratic ideals have infiltrated into the original ideas of artistic expression. Have we replaced the emotional fluency of expression with rationalistic boxing-in of ideas?
Maybe we're ready for a renaissance in the western culture, where art is no longer considered a secondary profession, nor is the worship of rationalistic method the only accepted way of thinking or expressing yourself.
In some ways, the rationalistic method has only produced more mediocrity than excellence.
Break out of the box! It's the only way.
Perhaps the real enemy to any art profession, then, is mediocrity and reliance on reason as the sole method of expression.
