Imagination is freedom

After reading Guy Sorman’s article Freedom to Create, I was immediately gripped with an overwhelming sense of sadness. Rather than appreciating art for what it is, people like Liu Xia from China get arrested by the government for speaking out their beliefs. This sort of reminds me of how people who don’t like hip-hop music will refuse to listen to any hip-hop music simply because it falls into that genre. Similarly, how people will immediately lose focus and turn away when Christian music comes on the radio. Though I understand that people have the right to do as they please, it also feels somewhat unfair that art itself is constantly being neglected by people everyday simply because they don’t agree with what the artist is trying to say. They fail to recognise the wonders of the imagination and understand the magic of creativity.

On the contrary, I have to admit that there are times when I see a piece of artwork in the gallery and I wonder why it’s even being exhibited. Furthermore, sometimes when people say things I don’t agree with, I zone out and pretend that I’m listening. However, the point is that people shouldn’t be arrested or condemned for what they believe in. They should be allowed to speak their own mind and share their own opinion. Not everyone has to agree, but no one should be punished for being honest.

Despite all of this, I’m glad that Liu Xia’s works are now being shown even though they were smuggled out of China. Her artwork is very impressive, containing a lot of deep and meaningful content.