CHRIS THURMAN: Balancing the serious with the lighthearted
RMB’s Starlight Classics offers singers and musicians the biggest stages and grandest occasions money can buy
Readers of this column will know that I write about art as a Serious Matter. Here we tackle politics, ethics, big ideas — portentous stuff indeed. Sometimes I try to be funny. If you haven’t noticed this, I don’t blame you; I am an earnest soul. Still, I do believe that art can just be for fun. Silly, even. Playful? Definitely. Without play there is no creativity.
I take it for granted that, in addition to commenting on this grubby world and its dreary occupants, art offers us an escape. Or maybe it’s better to say: artists show us that the world isn’t so miserable after all. Joy, laughter, exuberance, the thrill of beauty, the wonder of virtuosity — this is self-evidently the terrain of art. But making meaning of it and writing about it on a weekly basis can lead one to become terribly self-important. Over time I have lost touch with that joyfulness, that sense of thrill and wonder. ..
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Subscribe now to unlock this article.
Support BusinessLIVE’s award-winning journalism for R129 per month (digital access only).
There’s never been a more important time to support independent journalism in SA. Our subscription packages now offer an ad-free experience for readers.
Cancel anytime.
Questions? Email helpdesk@businesslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00. Got a subscription voucher? Redeem it now.