We all have holes in our education. The visual arts are one
of mine. I am trying to fill this hole, but the art world baffles me. I read a
blog post this morning about paintings that sold for over a million dollars. A brief
glance at the pictures causes most of us to ask the question, “Why?”
At other times, an unknown artist paints something amazing
but barely sells it for enough to pay the light bill. Why?
The free market may be good for setting the price of
toothpaste. It is often deeply flawed when valuing art. Why do I trust it to
value me?
Like Jim in The
Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, I listen to what others think I’m worth.
Jim decided he was worth $800 because a slave trader wanted to buy him for that
amount. What about a crippled slave? A cripple would sell for less, but is his
ultimate value as a person less than Jim’s? Who determines our value?
If there is no God, do I have ultimate value? But if there
is a God who created me, He sets my value. On days when the world is telling me
I’m worthless, I will rest in what God says of me.
For You formed my inward parts;
You covered me in my mother’s womb.
I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
Marvelous are Your works,
And that my soul knows very well. Psalm 139:13-14 NKJV
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