For a recent interview I was asked this question, I took a moment to reflect on it, then I provided an answer. However, as I thought more about it the more I really liked the question and wanted to share more of my thoughts and the thoughts of others here.
When it comes to Art and Artists my opinion is, very simply, Artists show people the good, the bad, the ugly, the beautiful, what can be, and what should never be. Artists not only remind the world of what and who we are, but they also start a dialogue about society.
Without art and artists, we would have no culture. There would be no books, no movies, no theater, no photography, no television, etc. There would be nothing to push our boundaries or make us contemplate the world around us. We would be a world of people who live in simple boxes that all look the same with our heads filled with nothing but facts and figures. The world would be dull and boring.
I found this article on Chron that I like about 'The Role of Visual Artists in Society'. The article starts out by saying, “Not only do the visual arts provide pleasure and creative inspiration, but they also help foster dialogue and bring important issues to the public eye.” to read the whole article click here.
I ran across another article on Art Web and they had this to say,
“At times, art feels like it reflects the very core of humanity. Other times it is purely aesthetic, a luxury, a rare indulgence. Art can portray the rich complex beauty of the natural world, it can also make bold, ugly, raw statements that are unsettling, challenging and far from beautiful.”
For the full post click here.
What I like about both these articles is they talk about both beauty and dialogue and that ties into my thoughts about art. No matter what your attitude is about art or an artist you will have an opinion and it will create conversation. That in turn builds bridges and unites us (sometimes for good and sometimes for bad).
Whatever you think of art and artist remember without them the world would be a boring place.
What are your thoughts on the role of art and the artist? I would love to hear your thoughts on the subject. Until next week take care.