Why do we value art, and furthermore, what is the role of the artist in society? These are questions that that seem to come up frequently in academics and politics even if they’re not stated in such explicit words. By many, visual art, theater, and music are treated as things that are dispensable, and even if they’re not labeled as junk, they’re often championed as things that we should keep strictly because they help kids in other subjects (ie. “The Mozart Effect”) or keep students out of trouble. Principals, superintendants, and school boards would almost never think of keeping an artistic subject in the school system strictly for the art’s intrinsic value or for its meaning to students and staff. Some politicians scoff at the idea of having a National Endowment for the Arts, dismissing it as a waste of money and resources**, and as a result many museums, orchestras, and theater companies close their doors every year, and those that don’t are often forced to “sell out,” and find ways of increasing business (ie. superficial programming) that are in contradiction to the qualities that make those places special.
So why keep all this stuff around, if no one seems to give half a shit? At the most basic level, art brings joy to people. Great art tells us something new, but forces us to look inward and examine ourselves in the process. It reminds us of everything we love and hate in life, or give us an entirely different life to experience. The artist’s role is to comment on cultural and social aspects of life- to express experiences fundamental to the human condition in this day and age. Through this form of expression, the artist can help others either embrace the world they live in, or escape it.
It’s funny that the value of art is something questioned in our society because art is something that is inherent of all humanity and is present in every culture as far back as documented history is able to show us. Everyone in our current culture values art in some capacity. Ask any person on the street if they have a favorite band and surely they’ll have an answer. Everyone in the Western world knows the opening two bars of Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony, even if they don’t know that those four notes are Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony. Art is really the only tongue we have that transcends languages and cultures. As such, it’s important to preserve our artistic voice in this country so that our voice isn’t lost in the world scene.
I’m curious to know everyone’s thoughts on this. I don’t doubt that the people in this virtual gathering all value art, but I suppose my questions are: 1. Why do you find yourself drawn to art? & 2. If you’re an artist “What’s your place in society?”
**FYI, the amount of money allocated to the National Endowment for the Arts is really barely anything in comparison to other government institutions. For instance, if the government re-allocated 1% of the military’s $396 billion-dollar budget, it could subsidize 198 full-time symphony orchestras at $20 million apiece.
I'm drawn to art because it expresses what I cannot with words. Cheesy, yes but after a long day, nothing feels better than hitting something...though since I don't have my instrument that could explain some of my pent up frustration.
ReplyDeleteI think 'finding a place in society' isn't the right approach. An artist does what s/he feels/thinks/creates/etc. There may or may not be a purpose, which in turn may or may not have a place in society.
You're thinking of the NEA in terms of music ramifications. While artistic freedom is more important, I can relate to some conservative view points that federal money doesn't have to fund poop smeared on a canvas. If anything, this is an issue against NEA chairman's abilities to judge and allocate properly.
....now instead of this paragraph I had something explaining total allocation and spending in the government and how the arts could flourish during a true peace time, and how education should have solved everything but I think that would hijacking the intent of this article.
Why care about art? Because that blind kid with the finger paints truly sees something. Because that deaf guy with syphilis really hears something. Because the blues just have to come out. Because we will always feel love, and sadness, and lust, and joy, and anger. Because we all want sex. Because we're bored. Because we like repetition and patterns. Or we like how one thing can be different.
Many reasons, must we choose one?
Derek- Great post.
ReplyDeleteIt's true, I have totally thought of this before; why keep something around if it seems to be dying? However, what do you do when you try to absorb and understand another culture? Do you try to see how they do math or what their scientific method is? NO.. you look at their art , architecture, and music.
It is in America's interest to nurture creativity because art is everything. Even when I see an iphone, I don't see just a piece of technology... it is a piece of art in its design! If "Art" is the act of being creative, can and should touch everything in our lives. I read a great book called Free Play, and something I loved about it is that it said that being creative can even mean thinking of new ways to reinvent your relationships or having a inventive conversation.
Mark, I think "finding a place in society" is something inherent of good art. That is, if a piece of art does it's job, it provokes a response from an audience, even if it's from only one person, and thus has some place in society. Even those artists who set out to not have a purpose (ie. John Cage) ended up having a purpose even if it wasn't of their own accord. Art has a life beyond its creator; the act of interpretation is where things really get interesting.
ReplyDeleteYes, I do bring up the NEA in terms of music ramifications (hey, it's what is familiar to me). Alternatively, the same 1% of the military budget could give 79,200 composers/painters/sculptors a yearly salary of $50k.
You bring up this point "Federal dollars don't have to fund poop smeared on a canvas." Really, if one cares at all about the artistic process, one can't say that the government should only grant money on a set of criteria for art projects. Doing so puts artists in the position of people like Shostakovich who were forced to alter their artistic voice for the purposes of pandering to the government. Part of the creative process is that not every single creation is great. The funny thing is that we don't expect the same "success rate" from the science sector, for example. It's expected that a lab will go through many failed experiments before coming to some sort of new discovery. Does that mean that scientists aren't doing their jobs? Of course not, because they're navigating uncharted territory in their field. What we have now as the "masterpieces" are a result of filtering through a whole lot of crap throughout history.
Rita, I love your points. Creativity and artistic qualities can show in many ways beyond those resulting in a physical "thing." Every time I've been around Danny I've been in awe of his creativity in the art of conversation, word play, and puns.
Great Post Derek. This is something I often struggle with as well. I often Ask Rita when I am having a bad day "What is the point of Art, Its totally unnecessary and impractical." and in her wisdom she replies "Yes but that is why it is special." Arts utility to its viewer is often intangible and definitely not monetizable, But that does make it special somehow. When we walk away from a piece of art we have very little to show for it. You cannot take it with you, nor can you prove that you ever saw/ or heard it. Its is something that exists solely for the sake of enjoying its presence. Its doesn't surprise me that an opportunistic systems fails to find its value, because its value isn't for that person. Derek thank you for this, I so clearly know how to think about Art as an artist but when it comes to thinking about Art as an audience, I feel like a beginner.
ReplyDeletei believe the importance of art is 2 things: 1. communication, 2. change.
ReplyDeleteartists reflect the emotion surrounding a specific time period, that which the artist lives in. I read about a satellite transmission sent out into space in the course of searching for intelligent life elsewhere, and one of the things that struck me was their inclusion of Bach's music in the transmission.
Art is a language ... Just as written words are interpreted by the reader in many different ways, so is art. this is where it spurs change in the world.
To me it is just another language in the universe ... visual (like a movie or photograph) or audio (songs) just as a book is written from one perspective to be understood by another.