Flaws are Interesting

Mimi, 2005-2012

Among the popular sculptures besides Michelangelo's David, the armless Venus de Milo earned its popularity partly because of the curiosity that evokes the viewer why it is incomplete. Just as amazingly, Rodin's sculptures are crude and almost unfinished, perhaps a take off point from Classicism's near to perfection ideals, yet spark artistic discourse.

In the traditional techniques of the master printers, a small deviation from the originals such as misregistration, stray lines, soiled/inked print, uneven amount of inks, isn't acknowledged as part of the series and won't be signed. Not even "misprints" we have from offset printed books, leaflets or documents, are widely accepted simply because they are rejects and not identical to the originals.

The "Arrovo" 100 peso bills series is considered a printing error, yet that flaw made the series "special" and now collectable, since it can never be reproduced ever again. In multiple original artworks such as prints, if every print is to be considered art, then these printing flaws make them unique.

I love collecting used and old books. Some of the pages are dilapidated, soiled, and folded. Some are rejects because of double prints, misprints, and distorted. But it is these characters that make them special for me. It makes me wonder who their previous owners are and what are the book's adventures with them.

Every part of the human body, if they come in pairs, isn't created perfectly identical. Only God knows the purpose, but science also provide answers. Every human being is flawed, and that's what makes us interesting.


Note: In the photo is our adopted persian cat, Mimi. Its ear is mutilated since we got her and we don't have any idea how or when, but I find her unique just as it is. However, my post hopefully, definitely, strongly discourage cruelty to animals and in no way whatsoever promote mutilation, but rather the appreciation of natural imperfections.