009 | Art Appreciation Over Time
- Tarang Saxena
- Dec 15, 2025
- 3 min read
"When's the new album dropping?"
"Can't wait for the next season in 3 years!"
"___ fell off."
How many times have you heard someone say something similar about a body of work?
Art evolves, whilst also reflecting a moment in time and society.
What does this mean for our expectations? Our expression? Our relationship with art not only reflects our interests but also where we were/are in life. This is why we all have our nostalgic films, TV shows and albums. The beautiful thing is that we can keep aspects of our character development. Some things change, some don't! Here are some examples.
Your Values
As you grow, a few values stay loyal and true to you — even as everything else shifts. Art has its own version of this. Themes are timeless. Films often showcase responsibility, love, grief, and identity. One example is Spider-Man. Each version, from Maguire to Garfield to now Holland, had its own spark. The values, however, were always there: responsibility, loyalty, compassion, choosing others over yourself. No Way Home makes this impossible to ignore.
When all three Spider-Men stand side by side, the differences in style, tone, and era fade, leaving only the shared moral core that defines the character. The art didn’t change — our understanding of it did. With time, we begin to recognise that grounded values outlast trends, and authenticity is the goal the whole time.
Endeavours
A new job, a relationship, a risk can reshape how we see the world. With growth comes perspective, and we begin noticing details we once missed. Art works the same way. A song at 16 and the same song in your mid-20s can feel completely different, shaped by two different emotional identities. This isn’t to say you can’t feel art without experience — but growth turns art into a mirror, reflecting parts of yourself that didn’t exist yet.
For me, Kendrick Lamar’s good kid, m.A.A.d city reveals deeper storytelling over time, Frank Ocean’s Blonde is more impactful as people come and go, in particular Lil Yachty’s evolution — especially Birthday Mix 5 — shows how growth can deepen expression as he literally produces art over time. Art holds a moment in time, but personal growth gives it greater meaning.
People
Sometimes art doesn't change — it’s the people around it. Van Gogh is a clear example. During his lifetime, his work was largely ignored and misunderstood. He sold very little and was often seen as strange or unsuccessful. Years later, his paintings are admired around the world for their emotion, colour, and honesty. The art never changed; the audience did.
This mirrors real life. As the people around you change, so does how you are seen and understood. New circles bring new perspectives, and what once felt overlooked can finally be appreciated. Growth isn’t always about becoming something different — sometimes it’s about time passing and people learning how to see more clearly.
Why Revisiting Art Matters
Art waits for you to grow into it. When you return to an artpiece, you meet your younger self, alongside the person you are now. Maybe the art wasn’t ahead of its time. Perhaps you just needed time to become the version of yourself who could truly understand it.
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