Video:  Oliver Sacks on Bigthink.com

For those who have never heard of Oliver Sacks, he is a psychiatrist and neurologist best known for his collections of case histories from the far borderlands of neurological experience.  The movie Awakenings is based on his memoir of the same name.

In the video linked above, Sacks talks about what he sees as a possible effect that the ubiquitous cell phone and iPod could have on music and society:

“…I also wonder whether to separate music from context. I mean, music arose in a communal way. People would sing together, dance together. There would be concerts. There would be churches. There would be living performers. And I think, I think music can become too abstract and too divorced from context if one only listens to an iPod.”

A very good observation and one I happen to agree with (I’m certain Dr Sacks will be relieved).

At the heart of it, I think that the power of art exists not on the page or canvas, but in the space between the art and the people who are affected by it. In others words, if a Van Gough falls off a gallery wall in the forest and no one sees it, is it still art? (OK, now I’m just being silly.)

Some of the most amazing and memorable musical experiences I’ve experienced have been in a communal setting. In ’92, I attended U2′s Zoo TV tour when they rolled through the Miami/ Ft. Lauderdale area. Hurricane Andrew had just ripped through South Florida and many of the folks (including me) drove 45 minutes north to Joe Robbie Stadium for a distraction from tarps, generators, night-time police checkpoints and darkened neighborhoods. We ended up getting a whole lot more because together we listened to music that talked about hope, a message we needed to hear. So the band sang to us and, at the top of our lungs, we sang to each other and to anyone else with five city blocks about how things looked grim but ultimately everything would be ok. Art and community came together to lift the spirits of thousands of people in a way that listening to a CD in your car just can’t.

Powerful idea, that.

Keep your eyes pealed for opportunities to go out to an art show or concert around town. Check our upcoming events or one of the many Gainesville art blogs like our friends over at the Center for Art Lovers.

Or take a chance and create art for other people to experience. You don’t necessarily have to be able to paint or sing, either…a great example of this is what the people over at Improv Everywhere do.