Antidisestablishmentarianism.
Do you know this word? Do you know what it means? (for real-?). Do you know where it comes from?
This is a word from my childhood. A tongue- twisting, ridiculous, scholarly(ish), arduous word that sounds (very possibly) made-up but bears nonetheless a significant and impressive attention-grabbing weight if only for its size and uniqueness.
And my attention has been held. I have carried this word through years (so many years) and not once (until today) have I taken the time to consider its meaning.
Until now, the meaning has been irrelevant. I’ve (obviously) never used ‘antidisestablishmentarianism’ in a sentence, yet I’ve carried it all these years; an empty artifact devoid of any true message, implication or significance. I’ve been overly impressed and duped by the imposing character of the word and am mildly appalled with myself, because I thought I was into seeing things differently (- isn’t that the artist’s way?).
And that led me to wonder, is this how I, we (all of us) might experience art?
Do oversized, pretentiously titled, odd, ‘unique’ pieces of art, like the Jeff Koons “Play-Doh” sculpture shown above, seize our attention and grip us in the same way as the attention-grabbing and absurd, yet monumental word ‘antidisestablishmentarianism’?
Are size and oddity all that is required in creating memorable work?
I’d like to say no.
But I’m starting to wonder-
*Antidisestablishmentarianism (UK i/ˌæn.ti.dɪz.ɪs.tæb.lɪʃ.mənˈtɛə.rɪə.nɪ.zᵊm/, US i/ˌæn.taɪˌdɪs.ɛsˌtæb.lɪʃ.məntˈɛ.ri.ənˌɪ.zm/) is a political position that developed in 19th-century Britain in opposition to Liberal proposals for the disestablishment of the Church of England—meaning the removal of the Anglican Church’s status as the state church of England, Northern Ireland, and Wales. The establishment was maintained in England, but in Ireland the Church of Ireland (Anglican) was disestablished in 1871. In Wales, four Church of England dioceses were disestablished in 1920 and became the Church in Wales.The word has also come by analogy to refer to any opposition to those who oppose the establishment, whether the government in whole or part or the established society.[1] -https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antidisestablishmentarianism
