【R4】 ART IS BOTH CREATION AND RECREATIO N. 【R1】______MUCH AS I APPRECIATE ALL FORMS OF IMMORTAL CREATIVE WORK, I THINK THE SPIRIT OF TRUE ART CAN BECOME MORE GENERAL ONLY WHEN A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE ENJOYING ART AS A PASTIM E. IT IS MORE IMPORTANT THAT ALL COLLEGE STUDENTS PLAY TENNIS OR FOOTBALL WITH INDIFFERENT SKILL THAN FOR A COLLEGE TO PRODUCE A FEW CHAMPION ATHLETES OR FOOTBALL PLAYERS FOR THE NATIONAL CONTESTS. I WOULD RATHER HAVE ALL SCHOOL CHILDREN TAUGHT TO MODEL CLAY AND ALL BANK PRESIDENTS AND ECONOMIC EXPERTS ABLE TO MAKE THEIR OWN CHRISTMAS CARDS, HOWEVER RIDICULOUS THE ATTEMPT MAY BE, THAN TO HAVE ONLY A FEW ARTISTS WHO WORK AT ART AS A PROFESSIO N. 【R2】______I LIKE AMATEUR PHILOSOPHERS, AMATEUR POETS, AMATEUR PHOTOGRAPHERS, AMATEUR MAGICIANS. WE KNOW THAT IT IS SPONTANEOUS, AND IN SPONTANEITY ALONE LIES THE TRUE SPIRIT OF ART. THAT IS WHY I REGARD IT AS SO IMPORTANT THAT IN CHINA PAINTING IS ESSENTIALLY THE PASTIME OF A SCHOLAR AND NOT OF A PROFESSIONAL ARTIST. 【R3】______ NOW IT IS CHARACTERISTIC OF PLAY THAT ONE PLAYS WITHOUT REASON AND THERE MUST BE NO REASON FOR IT. PLAY IS ITS OWN GOOD REASO N. 【R4】______BEAUTY IS SOMETHING THAT CANNOT BE ACCOUNTED FOR BY THE STRUGGLE FOR EXISTENCE, AND THERE ARE FORMS OF BEAUTY THAT ARE DESTRUCTIVE EVEN TO THE ANIMAL, LIKE THE OVER-DEVELOPED HORNS OF A DEER. DARWIN SAW THAT HE COULD NEVER ACCOUNT FOR THE BEAUTIES OF PLANT AND ANIMAL LIFE BY NATURAL SELECTION, AND HE HAD TO INTRODUCE THE GREAT SECONDARY PRINCIPLE OF SEXUAL SELECTIO N. WE FAIL TO UNDERSTAND ART AND THE ESSENCE OF ART IF WE DO NOT RECOGNIZE IT AS MERELY AN OVERFLOW OF PHYSICAL AND MENTAL ENERGY, FREE AND UNHAMPERED AND EXISTING FOR ITS OWN SAK E. 【R5】______I REGARD THIS NOT AS A QUESTION UPON WHICH THE POLITICIANS HAVE THE RIGHT TO SAY ANYTHING, BUT MERELY AS AN INCONTROVERTIBLE FACT REGARDING THE PSYCHOLOGICAL ORIGIN OF ALL ARTISTIC CREATIO N.
A.
THIS VIEW IS BORNE OUT BY THE HISTORY OF EVOLUTIO N.
B.
IT IS ONLY WHEN THE SPIRIT OF PLAY IS KEPT THAT ART CAN ESCAPE BEING COMMERCIALIZE D.
C.
THIS IS THE MUCH DECRIED FORMULA OF 'ART FOR ART'S SAK E. '
D.
IN ORDER TO UNDERSTAND THE ESSENCE OF ART AT ALL, WE HAVE TO GO BACK TO THE PHYSICAL BASIS OF ART AS AN OVERFLOW OF ENERGY.
E.
THAT IS TO SAY, I AM FOR AMATEURISM IN ALL FIELDS.
F.
OF THE TWO IDEAS, I THINK ART AS RECREATION OR AS SHEER PLAY OF THE HUMAN SPIRIT IS MORE IMPORTANT.