What is "Art for Art's Sake?"
Creating for the sake of creating.
Creating Without Constraints
'Art for art's sake' is a guiding principle of creativity that encourages writers to create for the sake of creating, rather than working within any specific constraints or limitations. With this approach, the writer finds freedom and self-expression as the primary goal of their work, rather than a pre-determined objective or end result.
This philosophy allows the writer to take risks, explore new ideas and styles, and to express their own voice or vision without being limited by the expectations of others. Grammar, syntax, and other technical language rules may be broken, intentionally or unintentionally, as a way to achieve this ultimate goal of pure, unfettered creativity.
Below are two examples of how the concept of 'art for art's sake' has been utilized in writing.
Oscar Wilde's The Picture of Dorian Gray is a perfect example of 'art for art's sake' where the idea of aesthetics triumphs all other concerns. Through the character of Dorian Gray, Wilde explores the idea of beauty as something that is worth striving for in and of itself, regardless of the moral implications.
Virginia Woolf's To the Lighthouse is another example of 'art for art's sake' where she abandons traditional narrative structure in order to explore the inner workings of her characters' minds and feelings. The novel is primarily interested in the artistic and emotional experience of its characters, rather than any grander themes or morals.