Why Art?

　　什麼是「藝術」？得獎繪者Eleanor Davis愛蓮娜•戴維斯用畫的告訴你她的回答！



　　藝術是人類社會的重要元素，有著關鍵的功能和價值，是個大家廣為接受的共識。可是什麼能被稱之為「藝術」？在這個稱呼之下的東產物，似乎太多元多樣以至於成了一個虛無而難以掌握的概念。更不用提及藝術創作的緣由，可能是自我耽溺、愚蠢、邪惡、嚴肅、公益…無限種不同的出發點。



　　不只是將理論、流派或各種抽象的問題圖像化表現，而以讓人驚喜的角色設計與故事情節來呈現，愛蓮娜將藝術這個大哉問，以獨特的方式邀請你我發現它的不同面向，創作的歷程、呈現、被接近的方式、對社會的影響，與它最大的可能性是什麼。不失認真卻仍保有幽默感，讓人想一直跟著故事探索下去，尋找藝術存在的意義。



　　《Why Art?》獲得美國重量級The Ignatz Awards伊釀茲漫畫獎2018年度最佳圖像小說與故事設計，成現圖像小說作為創作媒介的新鮮可能。（文/博客來編譯）

What is "Art"? It's widely accepted that art serves an important function in society. But the concept falls under such an absurdly large umbrella and can manifest in so many different ways. Art can be self indulgent, goofy, serious, altruistic, evil, or expressive, or any number of other things. But how can it truly make lasting, positive change? In Why Art?, acclaimed graphic novelist Eleanor Davis (How To Be Happy) unpacks some of these concepts in ways both critical and positive, in an attempt to illuminate the highest possible potential an artwork might hope to achieve. A work of art unto itself, Davis leavens her exploration with a sense of humor and a thirst for challenging preconceptions of art worth of Magritte, instantly drawing the reader in as a willing accomplice in her quest.