Art as a form of play

In Van der Leeuw's work he discusses the notion of "playing" in relation to what is real. He says that play is a creation of the real in fact. Now a discussion of the definition of real is one in and of itself, however, Van der Leeuw is on to something with this idea. When one "plays" for example they are creating a sort of reality which does not exist to begin with. They begin to see something in a way which it does not exist in its original form. Playing has a way of making the ordinary, extraordinary. For example we discussed how Tom Hanks uses playing in the film Castaway as he creates a companion in a simple volleyball.  Also there is the example of how young children play, they have the capability of turning such a simple thing as a cardboard box into a race car. Playing gives us the capability of expanding our minds and imagination and allows us to present things in abstract ways. Art for example can be seen as a form of play, it does the same thing in a way. Art is an expression of what one sees to be real, therefor is a personal expression of the real. Many different forms of art are a presentation of expression, of an extraordinary expression of the plane and ordinary. 

Grace Valentine