7275/The importance of art

The importance of art
Date of Scene:	19 April 2019
Location:	New York City
Synopsis:	Summary needed
Cast of Characters:	Martian Manhunter, Insect Queen (OMara)

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Martian Manhunter has posed:
People at this time are working, or preparing to have lunch in some cases, probably doing their things at their places, but after all New York is not a place where you can easily find some alone time. Apparently this is not always true, even in the upper west side, where J'onn is currently sitting on a bench in front of a statue, in what looks like a very small square between two high buildings. It looks like there are not many people around, making this effectively a nice enough place to contemplate art in peace or at least try to understand it, because that's exactly what J'onn is trying to do.
The statue, is an extremely realistic representation of a human male, quite good looking for human standards but noone special, seems just, a good looking average man standing with arms crossed on his chest and a smiling expression.

Insect Queen (OMara) has posed:
Big city parks. They have the three main qualities that attract the financially struggling freelance artist looking for exercise or models: one, they are free. Two, they are never short of interestingness going on: be it passer-bys, trees, plants, small critters, large pets, fixtures, or the occasional super-villain invasion, a most varied array of items provides endless resources for referene and sketching exercise. Three, conveniently placed benches allow one to enjoy well-deserved breaks, indulging in relaxation and possibly a snack or a light meal.

It is exactly the latter that Violet is indulging in as she walks into the area: satchel of supplies slung over one shoulder, she is slurping a cup of cheap-instant-ramen-flavoured imitation instant ramen from a styrofoam cup.

She seems too engrossed with the meal she'd devouring eagerly to notice anything or anyone around her, at the moment, but she is definitely approaching the spot where J'onn is sitting...

Martian Manhunter has posed:
J'onn is currently in the shape of a well-dressed man, so doesn't look as an oddity in a place such as the upper-east side, it looks just a bit out of place the fact that it is sitting completely motionless, alone, in an almost empty place, staring at a statue as if to ask what was the sense of it because really, what's special about a marble man? It is realistic, extremely realistic, and so what? Even humans are realistic! But at least they move and talk, and do things, this statue just sits there, doing nothing, being mediocre, and why it is on a pedestal? Is it someone important? Then who is he? Why it is not written somewhere?
These are all the thoughts that currently run through J'onn's mind, that registers the presence of someone approaching his sitting spot and so raises a hand as a greeting to that person, of course forgetting to turn and look at it as a normal human would do. Because of course, it is very normal to know someone is approaching without even looking.

Insect Queen (OMara) has posed:
Violet O'Mara slurps up the last strand of imitation ramen, and shovels down whatever is left in the (imitation?-)styrofoam cup with her chopsticks. Noticing the strange greeting of this man, she places her chopsticks between her lips in haste to free her right hand, and raises the latter in the same gesture as J'onn, also positioning her head in the same relative position as him, thinking it some strange foreign greeting which she tries to replicate as well as possible. "Hello," she says, taking a short detour for a recycling bin to dispose of her eating implements.

Martian Manhunter has posed:
J'onn places both hands on his laps, turning to look at the woman replicating his gesture and offers a smile, replying with a "greetings!
he is now alternating his gaze between woman and statue

Insect Queen (OMara) has posed:
Violet O'Mara sits down next to the man, and repositions her satchel in front of herself. "Salutations," she replies as she rummages, extracting a large spiral-bound sketchbook and a mechanical pencil shortly after. "What brings you here this fine day?" A few confident clicks of the pencil's mechanism later, she folds her sketchbook open at a page already one-third covered in assorted sketches, ranging from butterflies, to grass, bushes, portraits of people of varying ages and ethnicities, and finally, a few statues, among which the one J'onn is observing.

Martian Manhunter has posed:
J'onn blinks, the statue's appearance memorized so that he can continue asking himself why should it be intresting in a corner of his mind, while his attenction is focused on Violet now. "Well nothing special, just wanted a quiet and nice place to relax a bit between daily tasks, and well this seemed a nice enough spot, there's even, art!" he points at the statue "because that's art, right?"

Insect Queen (OMara) has posed:
Violet O'Mara sits down with a grin. "Oh, you like to raise controversial subjects, don't you. 'What is art?' is one of those questions on whose answer people agree in general, but they can't quite pin down or agree on the details." A single line is sketched, more construction lines are added. "Some might consider art by virtue of being a sculpture alone. Others would demand some sort of additional meaning or spirit to it, or to conform to some very arbitrary canon, and decry it as being too tacky otherwise." Violet's sketch has now reached the state of a shape vaguely resembling the statue. "That sculpture depicts Ernest Westwood, by the way...", she then says, pencil raised for a moment to point at the statue. "Entrepreneur, philantrophist, and patron of the arts. This whole section of the park has been built on land donated by him, with money donated by him, and decorated by artists financed by him." Sketching resumes, and with her head kept down to look at her sketch-in-progress, she continues. "So, as I was saying, people might or might not agree on whether that is art or not. I'd definitely say it's art." Head is raised and a grin is flashed at J'onn. "Even more so if I was among the lucky proteges"

Martian Manhunter has posed:
J'onn tilts his head slightly at the river of words that his innocent question just unleashed "ooh, ok, I am glad to, learn this is art..." he mumbles in reply, calling the image of the statue in his mind to label it as "art" and then, briefly, he casts a look at Violet's pencil and at what she's drawing. "and it looks like I inadvertently found an art expert, hmh?" he asks, smiling at the woman. "that I will, regretfully have to say my farewells to, looks like I'm needed elsewhere..." he mumbles, standing from the bench, and since he's actually in quite a hurry, he just waves and takes off to the skies, confidant in the fact that she won't just, shoot him because he can fly or anything.

Insect Queen (OMara) has posed:
Violet O'Mara stares. Still. Stiller than the statue. The mechanical pencil falls onto the paper. Looks like that at least for a few minutes, someone might mistake Violet for a hyper-realistic statue, too...