The Art of Love
Love is an emotion felt by every human being. Babies love their mothers before they are capable of understanding the concept of love. Toddlers love their stuffed animals, children love their toys and teenage boys really love their X-boxes. Love extends from family, to friends, even objects, and once those hormones kick in, the most prominent form of love begins to develop. That is the love that this exhibit focuses on, the concept of being in love.
It is one of the most powerful forces in this world. It may not rival gravity, but it can drive people to do things that they would never normally do, feel things they never thought they could feel, and care for another being in a way that can only be described as love. When one has the ability to put that feeling into words and transfer it onto paper, it is a beautiful creation.
Art is any form of expression that can cause an audience to react emotionally. A love letter has been a method of expressing one’s passion for another since the creation of a writing system. The person on the receiving end of the message is exposed to the sincerity and genuine emotion of the author. If the words are powerful enough, they can change a relationship forever. The art of the love letter is something to be celebrated and cherished. It is a dying art form increasingly overrun by technological substitutes. The text message has become a preferred method of conversation due to time efficiency. Instead of waiting for a heartfelt and thought out response, love messages have been shortened and impersonalized.
Art is any form of expression that can cause an audience to react emotionally. A love letter has been a method of expressing one’s passion for another since the creation of a writing system. The person on the receiving end of the message is exposed to the sincerity and genuine emotion of the author. If the words are powerful enough, they can change a relationship forever. The art of the love letter is something to be celebrated and cherished. It is a dying art form increasingly overrun by technological substitutes. The text message has become a preferred method of conversation due to time efficiency. Instead of waiting for a heartfelt and thought out response, love messages have been shortened and impersonalized.
SMS vs. PS
When one looks at the content of the text messages included in this project, there is no doubt that the emotions of love and passion are there. These emotions are the ingredients required to form a great love letter, which these technological substitutes may appear to be. The declarations of love that we have chosen to include in this exhibit are certainly memorable for those who have received them. However, they are intangible creations soon to be swept away into the cyber world. The recipients can’t hold the messages in their hands. They can’t see the evidence of their lovers’ hands moving over the paper, articulating the emotions that they share. Instead, they stare at the rigid and impersonal font that every cell phone uses to display another’s words.
When compared to the classical love letter, the text messages do not stand a chance. They are touching, even romantic, in the context of today’s modern world, until one is reminded of the way things used to be. The heartfelt and witty messages of Ronald Reagan’s anniversary note is superior to the quick “i luv u” from the anniversary text, which may have seemed thoughtful at first. Smiley faces and hearts may seem to show affection in a text message, but they cannot compare to the rich vocabulary and passion of Sullivan Ballou. The context is similar, but the love letter trumps the love text, and it always will.
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