SMALL AND BIG · SHORT AND LONG · SIMPLE AND COMPLEX
There is a tendency to suppose that art has greater depth when it is large, long, and complex. The novel is often taken more seriously by the critic than a short poem, the oil painting, more important than a watercolour by the academy, the symphony more significant than a short piece for a solo instrument.
The greater the size or scale of an artwork, the more easily it is sold for a high price, or studied at length. The marketplace and study of art are the main forces that assert its dimensions are a sign of its importance.
Humans are impressed by the time something takes, its scale, and intricacy, yet these have little to do with meaning or aesthetic value. Small can be beautiful, short: profound, and simple: enduring.
