Amaarae and The Contextualized Why
conceptual art's evolution from Duchamp's Fountain to Amaarae's Fountain Baby
The contemporary art world is experiencing a significant shift in how we evaluate and appreciate creative works. While historically we focused on what was depicted, and then on how it was depicted, the next evolution in art appreciation centers on why it was created. My prediction, and my hope, is that we are moving towards a future in which the appreciation of art will increasingly come from inferring the why behind the work—the artist's intention, and the contextualization of their creative decisions. Amaarae's Fountain Baby exemplifies this future, a work that prioritizes the contextualized why as the core of its value.
From What to How to Why
Historically, art was appreciated for its subject matter, whether religious iconography, historical events, or portraits of prominent figures. With the advent of modern art, attention shifted towards how something was depicted—through abstraction, innovation, and experimentation. Artists broke from tradition, embracing new techniques and methods that became as significant as the subjects themselves.
However, as the art world continues to evolve, the emphasis on how becomes less relevant to manual craftsmanship alone. The technical prowess that once defined artistic mastery is no longer the only marker of creativity. Instead, a growing emphasis emerges on why an artist made certain choices, focusing on the artist's cognitive agency and the context in which they work. In this emerging framework, art's value stems not from execution alone, but from the thought processes and intentions that shape it. Art becomes less about individual virtuosity and more about meaning rooted in shared cultural, social, and historical contexts.
Amaarae's Fountain Baby is a work that embodies this shift. Drawing from Afrobeats, experimental pop, and global influences, the album reflects a future where the why is paramount. Amaarae's intentional blending of sounds, her interrogation of gender norms, and her exploration of cultural power dynamics are decisions that give the album its depth. The listener is invited to explore why she made these creative choices, revealing layers of meaning tied to identity, self-assertion, and cultural resistance.
Appreciating Art by Inferring the Why
In this future-oriented model of art appreciation, we engage with art by reconstructing the artist's decision-making process—uncovering the cognitive choices that reveal the why. Every piece of art represents a series of choices that reflect the artist's interaction with the world. These decisions are shaped not just by personal vision but by broader social structures, cultural narratives, and collective experiences.
This mode of engagement demands a deeper level of interaction. We are no longer passive consumers of visual or auditory content but active participants in uncovering the thought process behind the work. The art becomes dynamic, a product of intentional decision-making that speaks to human experience and collective meaning-making.
Amaarae's Fountain Baby is a powerful example of this future perspective. By blending genres, cultures, and narratives, she creates a rich tapestry of sound that reflects her cognitive agency in pushing against boundaries. The why behind her choices—such as the incorporation of Eastern instrumentation with West African rhythms—invites listeners to explore identity, power, and belonging. Her creative decisions are intentional efforts to reflect, resist, and redefine the spaces she inhabits.
The Role of Contextualized Why in Artistic Value
The growing emphasis on why art is created signals a broader shift in how we assign value to works of art. Intention becomes a defining characteristic, with the artist's decisions offering a map to uncover deeper layers of meaning, tied to cultural and social struggles. The artist's role is to infuse their work with purpose, narrative, and emotion, expressions of their engagement with the complex world they navigate.
Rather than asking, "What does this depict?" or "How was this made?" the more illuminating question becomes, "Why did the artist make these choices?" By tracing the decisions that shape the work, we gain insight into the artist's cognitive agency and how they engage with the cultural landscape. Art becomes a medium for exploring collective concerns, identities, and narratives, rather than a mere aesthetic object.
Amaarae's Fountain Baby exemplifies this shift. Each track on the album reflects intentional choices that move beyond sonic experimentation to explore issues of identity, power, and gender. These choices create a narrative about the complexities of self-expression, as Amaarae uses her platform to redefine the role of African diasporic artists in the global music scene. In a future where the why holds the greatest weight, Fountain Baby is a model for how we can approach art with a focus on cognitive depth and social resonance.
Expanding Creative Possibilities
The future of art appreciation lies in recognizing how artists expand the range of possibilities for exercising their cognitive agency. Artists like Amaarae explore new avenues, generate unexpected combinations, and push the boundaries of their creativity. This process enhances the artist's ability to make decisions that lead to innovative and culturally meaningful outcomes.
In this future of art appreciation, the value lies in the why behind these decisions. The choices made throughout the creative process are deeply connected to the artist's engagement with societal issues, cultural conversations, and personal experiences. By examining the why, we gain a richer understanding of the broader influences that shape the work.
Amaarae's Fountain Baby illustrates this expansion of creative cognition. Drawing from her experiences across cultures, she uses her platform to explore questions of identity and belonging. The album's genre-bending sound and global influences reflect her ability to recontextualize traditional forms and push them into new territories. Her use of cognitive agency in this way offers a glimpse into the future of art—one in which the why takes precedence over the how.
The Future of Art Appreciation: Prioritizing the Why
As we move towards this future, the focus of art appreciation will increasingly be on inferring the why—the intentions, context, and meaning behind the work. Audiences will engage more deeply with the conceptual and cultural dimensions of art, looking beyond surface-level aesthetics to understand the motivations that drive creative decisions. This shift will foster a richer, more nuanced understanding of creativity, one that values the artist's cognitive labor and its connection to broader societal issues.
However, this shift must resist elitist tendencies. The tools and frameworks for engaging with art through this lens must be accessible to everyone. It's essential that this new form of art appreciation moves beyond intellectual hierarchies and connects art to collective human experiences, emotions, and social struggles.
Fountain Baby as a Glimpse into the Future
The evolving landscape of aesthetic value presents an exciting opportunity to rethink how we engage with art. The focus will continue to shift from what is depicted to how it is depicted, and ultimately to why it was created. By appreciating art through the lens of the why, we deepen our connection to the creative process, understanding the artist's intentions, their societal influences, and the collective issues that shape their work.
Amaarae's Fountain Baby offers a glimpse into this future. The album reflects a deep cognitive engagement with identity, culture, and power, prioritizing the why in every artistic choice. As we move towards a future where the contextualized why becomes the core of art's value, Fountain Baby serves as a model for how we can approach art with a deeper, more thoughtful engagement. The future of art appreciation is one that centers the artist's cognitive agency and the larger cultural fabric that gives art its power.