Art is as the title of the play suggests is about art, but it is also about what we base our friendships upon. Reza's play explores the nature of art and how we objectively and subjectively view it and how an individual's beliefs about a particular subject can and do effect their relationships with the people in their lives. Serge purchases a painting for 200,000 francs and Marc believes it is absurd that he 1) believes this painting, which is all white with a few lines through it is art; and 2) that he would even consider paying this hefty amount of hard earned money for it.
This puts Marc and Serge's relationship to the test as well as their relationship with Yvan, there soon to be married friend who's attempt to appease both parties for the sake of his need for their support fails miserably. Reza's story cuts to the heart of our world which is all about commerce. Art becomes money. And thus where we put our cash is where our treasures, or beliefs and values lie. And when Serge purchases this painting it represents to him a vast depth of meaning which is not shared by Serge who sees it as an assault on his own values and beliefs. When we don't agree with another's taste, Reza seems to explore, how deeply to we seek to understand the other party? In this story, not so much. Serge's blatant hatred of the painting motivates his need for his understanding of art to be accepted as the standard by which Marc should also judge his work, leaving no room for seeing a different point of view. Is this not what separates us as individuals, cultures and nations in the world today? And Reza goes one step further and shows us how Serge and Marc's disagreement in their taste of art becomes personal and they attack one another in malicious ways, one cutting the other because they've been cut.
When there is no attempt to heal a wound we continue to hurt one another. The need to engage in a different perspective does not keep one from having a different belief, but shows signs of maturity and ultimately love. Because when we care only for our own way of being right we cannot love those around us. Thus, Marc and Serge become commodities to one another and treat each other as such. And we see Yvan become the same to them as Marc tells him to call of his wedding rather than figure out how to carry on and marry the woman he loves. In the end, the play declares that what we believe is beautiful and meaningful is ours to judge, and when it is not interfering with the well-being of other people and comes out of a necessary baseline of morality we must pause to consider the source of the beauty to the other individual. Otherwise, all we have are opinions hocked for a price hanging on a wall and in our hearts.
