It’s quite fascinating that throughout the centuries, art has been a constant factor in bringing societies together. What do I mean when I say “art”? Art can be anything that allows the individual to completely express themselves without judgement or labels. This can include music, painting, drawing, or even singing. It doesn’t have to be anything in the sense of physicality, but rather something that moves the being from within. Ironically, the best art has come from the ones who were deemed as outcasts or mentally unstable. Take for example Vincent van Gogh.
He was an artist who cut his own ear off to give to a woman, and then in his later years, committed suicide. Even though, van Gogh went quite mad, he still created some of the best paintings known to man. Other terms that artists are familiar with being called are “outgoing” or “different.” These “outgoing” artists give the rest of society the opportunity and freedom to be themselves. Alot of people are fearful to be themselves due to certain labels society has created. With these labels, a once beautiful soul in someone can be pushed back into the dark, whilst manifesting a mask just to please current society. With the use of art, not only can it be therapy, but it can save lives as well. During times of hardship, the best stress reliever is the one where you can let it all out.
When I see or hear art, my hopes is to understand it and be able to communicate it. Much of art today, is abstract and has veered away from its fundamentals. Of course art is in the eye of the beholder, but to me a squiggly line on a canvas cannot be classified as art. When creating something beautiful, there has to be a story behind the chaos, no matter how vague. To me, art is something that connects people of all races, ethnicities, and cultures, resulting in a society brought together without prejudice. In 2018, that’s a difficult goal to achieve, but with time and effort it can be accomplished.
In my life, I have experienced art in its many forms. From the simplicity and swiftness of playing a sport to the technicalities of a high school choir. You might find it odd to consider playing a sport as art, but in the end it comes down to patterns, rythm, and dedication. In my childhood years, I used to play tennis. For eight years of my life, I trained three times a week for an hour a day. My trainer taught me to recognize the pattern of my opponents playing style and the rythm that I feel when hitting the ball. It was only recently that I knew I took it all for granted. I quit playing my freshman year of high school and didn’t think to look back, until recently. During my high school years, I joined a choir in school. We sang different kinds of musical pieces, from classical to modern, to appeal to everyone’s taste. Our main goal was to move the individual and show them that the classics have not yet faded from our generation. In Art1010, I am hoping to learn the affect art has had on generations before mine and what it meant to various cultures and societies. I want my mind to be opened to great possibilities, all drawn from the same root, which is art.
