I’m currently reading an absolutely amazing book called My Name is Red by Orhan Pamuk. On the surface its a murder mystery surrounding the death of a Turkish miniaturist in the 16th century. Yet, what makes the book such a treasure to read is its clever and insightful criticism of art, and the differences between Eastern and Western art forms. Its a distinction we’re rapidly loosing in the modern world, espeically, dare I say, online. Websites fall into the category of design (implying a sense of functionality, control, purpose) rather than art (in some way the opposite, though impossible to define). Yet should they? The answer is a topic for some more posts, but for now, consider this from the end of a chapter of My Name is Red titled “I Am a Tree”. It is a tree in a picture describing its existence:

A great European master miniaturist and another great master artist are walking through a Frank meadow discussing virtuosity and art. As they stroll, a forest comes into view before them. The more expert of the two says to the other: “Painting in the new style demands such talent that if you depicted one of the trees in this forest, a man who looked upon that painting could come here, and if he so desired, correctly select that tree from among the others.”

I thank Allah that I, the humble tree before you, have not been drawn with such intent. And not because I fear that if I’d been thus depicted all the dogs in Istanbul would assume I was a real tree and piss on me: I don’t want to be a tree, I want to be its meaning.