While I was going through high school I enrolled in my school's International Baccalaureate, or IB, program. IB is a program designed to prepare students for college, much like AP. However, IB differs in that it strives to create a universal curriculum that can be used by any school in any country. That is not the only difference however. IB also focused heavily on teaching students the skill of analysis. In IB History we focused heavily on being able to explain the historical events we were taught not only in terms of WHAT the events were, but WHY they occurred. In English we learned how to analyze texts, specifically works of fiction. Common works for analysis included "Of Mice and Men," "Frankenstein" and "The Great Gatsby." We learned how to pick apart the language and draw meaning from symbols and metaphors. Unfortunately, armed with this new skill we angsty teens turned our newfound powers on everything. We found quite quickly that using the techniques IB taught us we could be applied to nearly anything to make a seemingly coherent argument in regards to the deeper meaning behind whatever it was we were analyzing. Well I found myself analyzing art and drawing silly meanings regarding humanity and our existence. I would like to showcase what my time in high school taught me here. I would like to preface this by saying these analyses are not meant to be taken seriously, I simply want to showcase the fact that analysis can seem convincing when argued properly. I have no experience with making or critiquing art, I simply enjoy drawing silly conclusions.

1. "Composition in Red, Yellow, and Blue" - Piet Mondrian

We begin our analysis with Piet Mondrian's "Composition in Red, Yellow, and Blue." Created in 1942, "Composition" is considered the peak of Mondrian's abstract movement. The stark white canvas is meant to represent the idea of the "blank slate" commonly seen within the field of Developmental Psychology. Proponents of the Blank Slate theory suggest that human development is influenced mostly, if not entirely, by our upbringing and surroundings. Diminishing the effect of genetics, Blank Slate theory suggests all humans are born equal and only through proper upbringing are humans developed into unique beings. The white background of the piece reflects this equality all humans share at birth. The thick black lines seek to represent the constraints of society, dictating our place and role within the culture we are raised in. All humans are sectioned off and segregated based on wealth, skill, intelligence, and culture. These lines lie on top of the blank slate, suggesting that society is imparting its constraints AFTER birth, not before. Only once we are born are we directed down a path of poverty or privilege. The red, yellow and blue squares represent those few individuals who manages to stand at the forefront of society and become iconic. Celebrities, politicians, leaders. These are people that stand out, that everyone knows. Only those born within the "square" belonging to these classes have access to the prestige that accompanies them. Drawing from Nietzsche's idea of the Übermensch, or "superhuman," Mondrian uses these stark colors to then contrast and even contradict the idea of the blank slate presented by the white background. Nietzsche's theory suggests that SOME individuals are born to be superior, born to dominate. The layperson cannot become a superhuman, you are born that way. By doing this Mondrian creates a dichotomy between the belief that humans are capable of anything and the idea of society and genetics dividing and separating different groups of people into various levels of success or failure.

2. "One: Number 31" - Jackson Pollock

Created in 1939, "One: Number 31" is possibly one of the most well known pieces of Abstract Expressionism. Pollock is arguably the most notable figure of the Abstract Expressionism movement, influencing the genre with his erratic and chaotic works. Created during the Second World War, "31" accurately reflects the public sentiment of the times. The clash of black and white paint on the canvas represents the clash of ideals that lay beneath the tensions of the war. Communism versus Capitalism, Democracy versus Fascism, and man versus man. By using black and white to create strong contrast Pollock suggests not that these ideas were incompatible, but that those who held said ideas became so extreme in their devotion to their adopted creed that they BECAME incompatible. Often referred to as the Duality of Mankind, Pollock represents the struggle between socially ingrained ideologies and human compatibility. He suggests that humans are inherently similar. After all, the only difference between these stark paint strokes is their color. They are all chaotic and unpredictable, only the content of their expression changes. However, if one looks closer, Pollock includes a beige color in the piece. The beige blends well with the base canvas color, making it difficult to see at first. This is done purposefully, as Pollock wishes to show viewers that behind the chaos of clashing ideologies is a more palatable third option. Acceptance. Yes, the piece uses dark colors and stark contrast to invoke a sense of confusion, terror, or pain, but underneath all of that is a binding ideology of working together and understanding that we are all human, regardless of creed or color.

3. "Artist's Beanie" - Ethan Klein

More contemporary than the previous artists, Ethan Klein was inspired to create "Artist's Beanie" in early 2016, after visiting the Museum of Modern Art, or MOMA. At first glance "Artist's Beanie" seems too simple to be compared to the likes of Mondrian or Pollock, but upon closer inspection one can see the machinations behind Klein's work. The simplicity of "Artist's Beanie" is done purposefully, with the intention of causing viewers to consider why so much thought is put into art. Klein suggests that analyzing art destroys it, as art is created only to exist. It does not need to elicit thoughts or emotions as art is simply an expression of the human condition. It is a projection of oneself, and has no inherent higher meaning. Klein feels that our society is too focused on the critique and analysis of art, in all its forms. He rebels against this notion by providing a piece that leaves nothing to the imagination. There is no analysis to be had because Klein feels that analysis defeats the point entirely. His art stands as a critique of criticism itself, suggesting that symbolic analysis is a fruitless effort. When art is analyzed it is no longer art, it is a simple collection of words and sentences. "Artist's Beanie" makes reference to Plato's "Myth of the Cave," which suggests that our entire perception of existence is fundamentally lacking due to our own physical and mental limitations. Rather than perceive the "shadows on the wall of the cave," which in this case is art, Klein suggests we consider the artist himself, as that is one step closer to true reality. Ultimately Klein's work states that analysis of art defeats the point of art. We should perceive it from the eyes of the creator, not through the eyes of the viewer.

So now that we have had a chance to see what my IB education has done for me, I would like to review. In my analyses I simply looked at the defining features of the work. I decided on a "theme" that the work expressed. For Mondrian it was the black lines and the colored squares, and for Pollock it was the messiness of the piece. I then simply tried to fit an explanation to the piece. I decided both pieces should comment on an aspect of society, so I found a way to have each piece reflect that commentary. I then combine the aspect of the piece with my perceived commentary to create my "analysis." I added Mondrian's black lines with the Blank Slate theory of psychology and found a piece that comments on societal struggle. I added the chaos and contrast of Pollock's piece with information regarding the time period it was created to make a very simply commentary on the basic conflicts of World War II, the most well known human conflict ever. I chose Ethan Klein as my last subject to highlight how ridiculous analyzing art can be. While I may or may not have made a creative argument in one direction I chose Ethan's piece because he is a Youtuber who made his "art" for a video that made fun of modern art, and more specifically the analysis of it. He also attempted to sell "Artist's Beanie" for a cool $1 million, as in the video he states that the point of modern art is to make easy money. You can view Ethan's Ebay sale below. In closing I want to highlight a point. I did not write this article to show that all art analysis is pointless but rather to suggest that art can be interpreted in whatever way you wish, the point is simply to think.