Art - The Value to Community (Part 1)
My recent travels provided opportunities for me to talk with people who share a love of art. I found a common thread that kept all my conversations connected whether I spoke with artists, professors, business professionals, art collectors or simply those who share a passion for creativity. Considering the fact that each person whom I spoke with had unique and thoughtful perspectives on aesthetics, the health and vitality of the current art market, and even the role of art in our world, I found it interesting that everyone seemed to share the general feeling that art is fundamentally important to our health and well being. Many expressed an innate desire to nurture opportunities that emphasize creativity within our communities.
The richness of those conversations motivated me to consider a couple of pertinent and timely questions that should be contemplated by anyone involved with the arts and creativity. I've done my best to condense my thoughts here, by exploring one question in this newsletter, and will continue the discussion with an additional question in the following newsletter.
Before I delve into the first question, let me start by saying, that it makes the assumption that art is important to our humanity. It is from that starting place that I've considered the question of: "How is art fundamentally important to the health of our common humanity?" When rolling this question around for a while I found that numerous additional questions and various avenues of reflection were possible and even necessary, but for the sake of simplicity I will focus on a few of general concepts in this newsletter.
Around the globe, art is continually being produced for all sorts of reasons. A range of motivations and various levels of concept and physical competence of facile ability are commensurate with the vastness of our human population. Some of the art may be "good" and some of the art may be "bad." Which brings us to a little stumbling point because each of us have types of art we like and types we dislike. And often our "likes and dislikes" differ from those of our friends or colleagues. I'm sure that when I use the word "art" each of you has a uniquely individualistic view of what "art" is. I know that I do. As a formally educated, practicing artist who is passionate about contemporary art as well as the traditions of art history, I have a fairly ridged criteria by which I judge most everything I see. My view is often quite narrow when it comes to defining what art is and what it's not. However, as I've started to consider "art" in light of the health and well being of humanity my outlook is starting to become more generous.
Art in all its forms helps us to better understand who we are as individuals and as a collective. Some art will serve to mark important points in history and will be protected in museums while other types of art will mark quite personal moments and will then fade from existence. Some art will be embraced by the art establishment, academia and the general public, and will be bought and sold, as a precious commodity while other interesting works by sincere and able artists will not. Though many artists desire strong and consistent sales of their work, the notion of "art as commodity" can have adverse affects on the motivations behind the creativity. Regardless of sales, art should be created from a spirit of truthfulness. When art is duplicitous, the edification value of the work is compromised, and the general public loses trust in the merits of art and creativity.
In the past, Princes and Presidents honed their artistic skills for their own pleasure and many people practiced art as a hobby or pastime. Painting and drawing was practiced as a means of relaxation. Aesthetics, music, arts and crafts were important aspects for individual and community enjoyment and edification. However, as new modes of entertainment evolved, the cultivation of "leisure creativity" began to wane. The importance of creativity artistic expression was replaced by high-speed activity. New methods of art education and the narrowing definition of "art" also worked to undermine the confidence and validity of an applied "personal imagination." Additionally, shifts in focus from "creativity for edification" to "art as commodity" and "artist as cultural icon" altered our consciousness and understanding of art and the role art can play in our society.
The problems with the prominent views of "art as commodity" or "artist as cultural icon" are many, but the primary issue is that the inherent power of the artwork and creative experience is relegated to second or even third tier importance. The essential nature of the work becomes nominal when compared to the manufactured perceived value of a work of art or the fame of the artist. Art and creativity have the opportunity to restore a sense of humanity to our communities when it's understood as gift of unique value. Art, when considered and seen as a "gift" to humanity shifts the focus from commodity to generosity. Generosity ignites imagination and enhances creativity, which gives birth to inspired ideas and a renewed sense of wonder. If the general understanding of art in society were shifted from the narrow confines of marketplace value to a generous spirit of gifted creativity the gradual work of re-humanizing culture could begin again.
Art enhances our understanding of nuance. When born of a generous spirit, art creates opportunities to further explore that which is true, good and beautiful in our world. However, with that statement, I'm not suggesting that we blindly disregard the harsh, the ugly and the obscene. It's important to acknowledge the presence of variety and dissonance in our society. An art that is truthful will look generously for the essential nature in all things. The processes of making art and viewing art can foster civility and serenity because both aspects require ample time and sensitivity. When we dedicate ourselves to the type of focus that is required to create or perceive art we will tune ourselves to the beautiful rhythms of life. Once we re-embrace the experiences of making or viewing art as fundamental, admirable, precious or beautiful, then we will begin to nourish the creative health and human spirit within our communities.
When viewed as a gift, the unique physical manifestations of our thoughts, experiences, observations, dreams and desires create an art, which can serve as common ground for our shared humanity. It is through this spirit that art can act as a re-humanizing agent in our society.
Squire Broel - April 2, 2009
Influential Texts
Bayles, David & Orland, Ted. Art & Fear.: Image Continuum Press, 2001
Scarry, Elaine. On Beauty and Being Just. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 2001