If ever you had the opportunity to take an Art History 101 course, you’ll probably remember having read, at some point, “Ways of Seeing” by John Berger—and, hopefully, a certain quote may have stuck with you throughout your course of learning about art:
“The relation between what we see and what we know is never settled. Each evening we see the sun set. We know that the earth is turning away from it. Yet the knowledge, the explanation, never quite fits the sight.”
This quote warms us up towards understanding the role of art. To summarize: art represents reality; poetically, metaphorically, and sometimes literally. The role of the artist is to help us see the world more clearly, as they guide us in coping with unsettling truths, or open our eyes to unrecognized beauty. At the end of the day, artists stand with us at the intersection of knowledge and explanation, guiding us in the direction of understanding.
Being part of a creative culture, we look in the direction of progress. Often difficult with the aggressive gusts of cultural homogenization, progress requires a certain amount of well-lit self-analysis. The ability to see, the ability to appreciate, and giving credence to those who can create metaphoric touchstones for us, is what makes supporting the arts an important call-to-action for us all. Adjusting to an ever-changing environment—with more-than-occasional, unpredictable, plot-twists—gives purpose to the arts: the visualization of a better tomorrow. A strong, and diverse future holds when you empower creative minds to forge new paths. By providing as many ways of seeing and doing as possible, we illuminate healthy chambers of an ever-beating heart. And with a healthy heart, a strong forward-moving society celebrates the diversity of its people, ideas of its innovators, and strength of its future.
For seventeen years, InLiquid has created a myriad of paths for the diverse and creative minds of Philadelphia, and through the unwavering support of our community, continues to do so. As our annual appeal comes during a time appearing to some of us as unfathomable, the cultural community of Philadelphia couldn’t stand stronger without your continued support. In honor of InLiquid’s many achievements, the InLiquid Team has come up with six levels of support, signifying each milestone throughout its seventeen years of dedication to its artist-members, partners, and overall visual arts community of Philadelphia.
$17 for 17 Years
$45 for 45 Exhibitions in 2016
$172 for 172 Artworks Currently on Display
$320 for 320 Artist Members
$545 for 545 Artists Exhibited in 2016
$1,582 for 1,582 Unique Viewers Per Week on InLiquid.org
We thank our supporters for making these milestones possibly each year, and ask if you can continue to keep the path bright for our artists, and most importantly for our future. In the face of adversity, arts and culture stand strong and proud of its achievements. As it was so wonderfully said by Professor Keating in the film “Dead Poets Society,” he tells us why art exists as he addresses his sophomore classroom. He says, “Medicine, law, business, engineering: these are noble pursuits, and necessary to sustain life. But poetry, beauty, romance, love: these are what we stay alive for.” And in our annual appeal, InLiquid asks you to help in keeping the heart of creativity continuously and strongly beating.
