5 Reasons Why the World Needs Art and Artists, Part 1
During a recent discussion in my Mark-Making as Practice class, the question was posed, How do artists continue the business of making art in times of struggle? This age-old struggle continues as a reaction to daunting events happening in the artist’s life or in the world at large and which might prevent us from creating. During our discussion, some in the class felt that it seemed frivolous and silly to make art during this time of war, global upheaval, political and cultural change and because of these things, others felt just too distracted and depressed to even be in the studio. Having witnessed many personal, political and cultural events in my 25 years of teaching, I have heard these thoughts expressed by many students and have also had these disparaging thoughts myself.. So I thought it was perfect to revise and re-publish an article I wrote in 2019 that seeks to answer this question once again.
Stay tuned for a brand new addition to this same topic coming up next month. Part 2 offers real life examples of artists who have continued to create through tremendous adversity and struggle.
This project, created by the dissident Russian artists Vitaly Komar and Alex Melamid, attempts to discover what a true "people's" art would look like. Through a professional marketing firm, a survey was conducted to determine what Americans prefer in a painting; the results were used to create the painting America's Most Wanted.
Winston Churchill once asked a most important question, “What is society worth without poets and artists?” Over the last few years, I have had many conversations with artist friends, students and mentees who have the concern that it feels ‘selfish’ or ‘self-serving’ to make art in a world with so many horrible things going on in it. I’m sorry to say that according to history, the world always has and always will have horrible things going on in it…but it has always had art as well. To fall into despair and want to fight the wrongs is natural for all empathetic humans. But please don’t stop making your art or beat yourself up for wanting to work in your studio. The world is a fallen place and we need art now more than ever.
During the last year or so, I’ve asked my students and artist friends, what art does for the them, for the world and the following were the most repeated answers. There are many such lists that answer this same question and I would suggest that when you feel the need to create protest signs in lieu of your art, read these lists! It will benefit you and lots of others as well.
Asks Questions One of the essential parts of a good work of art is one that provokes questions, both large and small. In fact, the best art raises questions, offers no answers and allows for further questions swirling around in the viewers mind long after they have left the gallery. When considering questions in this respect, it’s not the asking or even posing the questions in literal words, it’s the thought that counts.
Expands Ideas Art provides an endless arena for experimental thoughts and ideas to enter our consciousness, both as a viewer and a maker. Just like asking questions without giving answers, it’s best not to spoon feed all thoughts and ideas right there in the work. Rather, allowing room for expansion of thought, discussion and even debate makes for the most interesting works.
Health Benefits It does feel good to work in the studio, doesn’t it? Even if the work wasn’t going particularly well that day, you still feel like you’ve unloaded a burden. There is actually a physical and physiological reason why you feel so good and it’s all in this interesting Business Insider article Why You Should Be Making Art Even If You're Bad At It. If you stop making work because you feel bad about the state of the world, well, you’re only going to feel worse. So get into that studio, start feeling better and make the world a better place in the process!
Create Beauty As serious artists, we aren’t supposed to mention ‘the B word’ these days. In fact, I’ve heard from a few curators if the word exists in your artist statement it knocks you down a few pegs. I’m a huge proponent of beauty in my own work as well as in the art I purchase. Ginny Ruffner was a well known artist who I have followed since grad school and whose life’s work has been focused on the idea and ideal of beauty. (Sadly, she only just recently passed, her work and tremendous spirit will be missed.) Also exploring the subject of beauty is the Ted Radio Hour Podcast, What Is Beauty? Each speaker makes the case for various kinds of beauty and that we may actually need beauty in our lives to survive. Denis Dutton is one of the speakers, whose work focuses on beauty and why it’s actually essential to life. He states that the experience of beauty encourages us to make survival decisions by arousing and sustaining our interest…Beauty spurs us on simply by existing. Dutton also mentions a landscape structure that people all over the world universally consider beautiful. Artists Vitaly Komar and Alexander Melamid took this idea a step further by commissioning polling companies all over the world to conduct scientific research in order to derive what the public wanted to see in a work of art. The use of the poll was meant to mimic the democratic vote of the United States and to the make the point that if the general public could choose a president, why are they not a sufficient judge of art? The research data resulted in a series of paintings the two artists created of the ‘most wanted’ and ‘unwanted’ works of art, one of the most wanted is pictured at the top of this article. Also cited in the Ted Podcast is the inspiring story of Nathanial Ayers, the subject of the book and film, The Soloist, whose story serves as an excellent supporting example for why art and beauty is needed in the world.
Spread Hope & Healing In my opinion, one of the most important components to a work of art and one I strive to include in my own. Sometimes we just need a place to escape to and don’t know how to get there. Art presents a vehicle in which to transcend to another time/place in order to reflect on the present. Hope is what is gained from these experiences and from hope comes healing.