What makes art work? The gaps.
Leaving room for the the audience
I like films that don’t spell everything out. Novels that don’t tie up all the loose ends. They leave room for people to complete the picture. It’s a different level of engagement, the viewer is being asked to get actively involved in creating the story.
It’s something that’s built into the grammar of comics, where everything between the frames happens in the reader’s mind (you can read more on this in Scott McCloud’s brilliant book Understanding Comics).
In film, it’s the subtext, what’s unsaid but implied through performance and editing, often in contrast to the literal meaning of the dialogue.
The action, the visible surface level is essential, but it’s in the gaps that a work of art comes to life.
I’ve used a set of Christmas cards to explore this idea in a very simple, straightforward way. Each card features a Christmas carol where key lyrics have been redacted. The fun happens in your head, or with a Sharpie, as you fill in the blanks. The results are often crude and funny but there’s nothing to stop them being sweet and touching—it’s up to you.
