We have just returned to our hotel from the last of the four heats in the Cardiff singer of the world competition. There will be a couple of days of rest now before the final. As the chair of the judges introduced their verdict tonight he made a point of saying that we should remember that the competition was called the “singer of the world” and not the “voice” of the world. When the decision was announced it was clear why he had made that point.
On the way back to the hotel I was reflecting on this distinction, and in particular I was made to reflect on the relevance of the point to visual art. What is the significance of distinguishing between “painting” as a creative art and “painting” as a technical skill? Is it possible to be one and not have the other, and why does it matter?
Our accommodation, incidentally is a “budget hotel”, and it reminds me rather of the situation of one of my sons, and the accommodation he had as a naval chaplain on board a frigate!