Zenhdu – That picture speaks to me.

Zenhdu – A physical artifice containing that which I know is used to stimulate that which you know.

The short version is that Zenhdu is the message carried by the image, the interesting part is the various ways that message may be conveyed.

Why do we need more words?

Steve Durban as some interesting points to make on having names or not.

When it comes time for discussion words are important. I think many would agree that some of our most important words that we use for describing photographs and other art have been corrupted to the point of being useless for communicate of any real meaning between conversationalists.

The meaning of art?

I think it’s about time I put a stake in the ground at the risk of being shot to pieces. So here goes….

Long ago in the middle of an argument err, I mean discussion with my mother, she asked me. “What is art”? For some reason I was prepared for that question without ever having asked it of myself or read anyone else’s definition. I said “Art is the means of communication of an emotion from one person to another”. My mother was satisfied with my explanation and that made me happy. Although, today looking at that definition I see that it only encompasses part of what I would call my definition of art.

Recently I looked up the meaning of art on the internet and found this “”What Is Art?” (excerpts) by Leo Tolstoy“. If you check out that link you’ll note that it is quite long and that it is only a set of “Excerpts”, Tolstoy really got into it.

One nice excerpt from it that sums up part of art nicely for me is… “#10. To evoke in oneself a feeling one has once experienced, and having evoked it in oneself, then, by means of movements, lines, colors, sounds, or forms expressed in words, so to transmit that feeling that others may experience the same feeling – this is the activity of art.” I would like to add a little to this definition and say “That others may experience a different feeling”.

I found another appealing definition in Wikipedia “Generally art is a (product of) human activity, made with the intention of stimulating the human senses as well as the human mind; by transmitting emotions and/or ideas. Beyond this description, there is no general agreed-upon definition of art. Art is also able to illustrate abstract thought and its expressions can elicit previously hidden emotions in its audience.”

I would like to quibble with this definition in that it adds the communication of Ideas to the definition of art.

Matt Alofs has some interesting words comparing photography with art.

Just found another good link on “What is Art” from Paul Butzi. I might add I usually find it helpful to know what I’m doing but not always.

But then the internet being what it is I found a host of conflicting definitions for art, so much so that I began to feel that there is no consensus of what art is. I’d like to go beyond that for a bit and say, there never will be a consensus on the definition of art.

I’ll even go one step beyond, and say some self proclaimed members of the “Art World” intentionally obfuscate the meaning of art supposedly to enhance it’s mystique and desirability.

If these later ideas are correct then we should abandon the word “art” and invent others with more precise meaning. Not that these words together will encompass a complete definition of art but rather that they can be used to describe some of its’ aspects.

I’m going to make up a word “Zenhdu”. It is a contraction of “Zen To You”.

It has this meaning “My Experience Passed to You”.

My meaning is not contained in words or pictures yet you will know what I mean, “Zenhdu”.

Zenhdu – A physical artifice containing that which I know is used to stimulate that which you know.

However the physical artifice may contain other than what I know and so I’ll coin another related word to express this concept. “Ranhdu”. A contraction of “Random To You”

Ranhdu – A physical artifice containing not what I know is used to stimulate that which you know.

The physical artifice may contain a subject that directly conveys it’s meaning to you. “Zenhsu” A contraction of “Zen Subject To You”.

Zenhsu – A physical artifice that contains a subject that you can directly interpret. An example would be a photograph of written text.

Zenhme – A physical artifice that brings part of my experience to me.

In all cases it may even synthesize something that you did not know, but more likely it serves to elucidate something you already had experienced.

You may get out of it other than I put in.

I have seen this following quote and have no idea if it is true but I like the concept and hence am using zen as the prefix in my definitions.

“Zen is a school of Mahayana Buddhism which emphasizes the idea that ultimate truth must be experienced firsthand rather than pursued through study.”

A Google search in 2008-02-28 of “Zenhdu” yields no hits.

Here then, is a practical example to try an illustrate these words.

Zenhdu for this photograph could be as follows:

The near field contains a calm habitat that represents an inner place where you are in communion with yourself. I don’t like the word communion but haven’t got anything better.

The mid field contains two fishermen active on rougher water representing the turbulence of life that you have been through.

The far field contains a cityscape representing that from where you came.

The rough water and the cityscape have receded to the boundaries of your consciousness leaving you with yourself.

The overall color and mood of the picture represents cool cognitive introspection.

I can’t see any Zenhsu in this picture. The only subjects I can see are water, waves, sky, reeds, fishermen, boat and city line and for me none of them is saying anything.

This next photograph has Zenhsu that could be interpreted as follows:

A human observer can readily interpret that the subject is saying “Let me out”.

Zenhsu “Let Me Out”

Zenhdu might be “Release My Soul”.

Zenhme “I’m Trapped”

Ranhdu “I’m Hungry”

I have another related post on “What is Good Art“.