"Repetition in Art, Tradition"

I just realized something. About tradition. A lot of us like it, tradition. And here’s what I realized: One of the tools of art is repetition. You know, in a song where one part repeats once in a while, or there’s a beautiful photograph of a row of trees going into the foggy distance? Any of you who’ve taken an art class or who are artists would know this. 

Repetition is found in poetry, in music, sometimes painting, photography, sculptures, and even writing. (And for me, being a writer myself, I sometimes view writing as sculpture.) 

I don’t know why repetition is a good tool, but we like it in art. You may not know why the “rule of thirds” is used in photography, but maybe you don’t need to know, but it’s something that works, a tool. Same with repetition. We like it in a play, in a comedian’s skit, maybe in a movie. Maybe because it creates a feeling of familiarity or regularity. 

And what I realized is that tradition IS “repetition”. Every year your Mom puts up the same Christmas stockings in the same place, over the fireplace; or your great aunt cooks those same Polish pierogis which taste so good; or your family always goes to Uncle Joe’s for Thanksgiving. 

Sometimes you maybe feel like your getting tired of it, but maybe you still like it, nonetheless. 

Of course we all like change and variation. But I think we all love tradition as well. Something about the familiarity or regularity. 

It’s repetition. And repetition is part of art. 

Should living and life be art, or have artistic qualities?