Art doesn't shape our collective memory, social mediation of images does.
Subversion of the classical image
We cannot convey to others the intimate subjective notion of beauty that we have. We cannot describe in words our special sense of beauty so that someone else would be aware of exactly the same feeling. However, we can often create a physical symbol that will represent our idea of beauty to others in an appropriate way. A symbol that is objectively perceived in visual or auditory form will evoke someone else’s aesthetic sense.
