The Point: Spring 2018

FROM
By Judy Lee
The emphatic beat of percussion drums vibrates under the hands of an
African-American man sitting in the middle of Congo Square. It is the
late 1800s, marking the beginnings of the early foundation of jazz. Sweat and
dry spells of hot Louisiana wind trickle through the air. Only the rhythm
keeps the onlooking crowd occupied from the blazing summer heat.
A couple buys a ticket at the box office of their local movie theater in the late
1930s with the precious few dimes they have managed to scrape together. Eager
to rest after a long day of work, they immerse themselves in the plush velvet
seats, the buttery smell of fresh popcorn, the drawing back of the curtains that
reveals a larger than life Scarlett O’Hara and Clark Gable on the big screen.
In the year 2017, a woman sits on a wooden pew in the Cathedral of Our Lady of the
Angels, mesmerized by the majestic space of the sanctuary. She cannot help staring
at the unique ceiling panels, the triangular, candelabra-like lamps, the sweeping
architectural design that places the congregation left, right and in front of the altar.
Each of these fictional moments, formed from research by Ted Gioia, Ron Kobayashi
and John Farr, are a glimpse into the ever flowing timeline of art, revealing past
eras in their various forms. Throughout history, art has altered in different ways to
comfort and ally with the suffering or victimized members of society. Art cleaves
to the ideas and longings of those who are unable to voice themselves through any
other medium. When people face oppression or hardship, art can provide refuge.
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