A tremulous ode to nothing

Project number 273 - file descriptor "names "- [the importance of ]- April 1 - subject to author approval.

How is that for a name?

Maybe I should go with something more whimsical, less descriptive.

Why 237? I prefer Bruce! Who gets to decide?

Or classical (if over used)

What is in a name? Why we name things and the stories we reveal.

Or clever (ish)

This is not a title.

Naming pieces of art has not always been a thing. A Wealthy Lord commissioning a portrait of his favorite horse did not need a title to tell him that it was his horse.

My Horse

It wasn't until individual patronage began to decline and the art market blossomed that titles on paintings became important. This blossoming included the first public displays of art in England and France, the establishment of art museums, journalist writing about art and the eventual establishment of Art History as a field of study. This was the democratization of art and it created a need for a common language to allow for interpretation and discussion.

"Which painting was your favorite?"

"Um, that one of the horse"

"Which horse?"

"Um that guys favorite horse?"

"Which guy?"

And so on.

At this pivotal moment, most of the painters whose works folks wanted to talk about were far removed from the act of creation and there were no titles included by them to further explain their work. As a result names were mostly established by the critics, the curators, the public or any combination of the three. Artist from here on out are generally expected to scribble some sort of title on the back of their work. Titles are listed in a catalog and we have a reference point. Before you know it, it's 1929, the Museum of Modern Art opens and establishes the wide spread practice of little printed plaques next to the artwork.

(Clearly, there are no titles displayed here. but there is room for titles! Those will become the standard soon after.)

All of this is a wild simplification of the events described here in. I suggest a deep dive on the subject. It is fascinating.

This practice of naming has become part of the artist's ability to control the narrative. They can express intent and hopefully direct impact. It throws a literary glaze over the canvas, deepening the connection with the observer.

As a human with a relatively typically evolved human brain, I find myself drawn to art, in part, because it is a form of storytelling. It reveals things about the creators and the observers, forming connections between people who may or may not be in the same room or even the same quantum universe. And those connections form the fabric of the societies in which we live. Humans, even the most antisocial among us, are social creatures.

I realized recently that though I have named many things in my life ranging in importance from my child, to my cat, to my car, to my pet moss, I have never named a piece of art that I have made.

And so we have come to the point.

(rather late in the game.)

What should I name IT (IT being any given piece of art) and why?

Like most things today, there is a fountain of information at my fingertips just a few clicks away. Folks on line share helpful advice of all kinds regarding naming your work. You can name your piece by what it is, where it is, when it is, what is happening, what inspired it, what you want your audience to see. You can use literary reference, Name to provoke thought or conversation, to obscure or reveal. Maybe you chose a title according to color, style, design or venue. Do you tell a story? Be sure to make it memorable and catchy. Clever. Most importantly, I am informed, do not leave your work untitled. To be without a title is to be unloved, created without thought or effort. After all, who wants to buy a painting that the artist couldn't be bothered to name.

It should be easy, right? Lacking inspiration, there is always the wider human pool of creativity. Put it to public opinion. There are even any number of random name generator designed specifically for artistic endeavors.

I shall name thee 'tremulous ode to blue nothing'

I do believe that titles make a difference. This is a piece I am working on. It does not yet have a name, but I'm going to throw a few options out there.

Medford humming bird

Rather bland, but it fits the descriptive style of naming preferred by the stodgiest of art critics.

Now, blank your mind before we try again.

Cat's delight

Clever? Sad? A commentary on the feline decimation of bird populations? One more time.

Best Day Ever!

Only one tells the story I want you to see.

I believe that my art work, much like the other things in my life that are important to me, deserves to be named. Even if it is only for me.

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