What is your taste in painting and the visual arts?  If art is not dependent upon intellectual appreciation but accepted that it is a means of evoking deeper emotional responses and reactions to life, we will all have an instinctive regard and perception which serves to guide us. Contrary to the common belief that we ‘should know about art’ it often is the case that ‘knowing’ about it places obstructions in the way of the spontaneous direct experiences that naturally reward us.

As art influences human culture profoundly, being both a product of past cultural attitudes and a statement of current conditions and fashions, it offers us a means of understanding the changing conditions and reflecting the different qualities and values of human consciousness.  Above all, art has always been an expression of upliftment, of nobility of the human spirit. Genuine artists are always aware of their responsibility in remaining true to their role in portraying material realities in a way that yet symbolizes the subtler, spiritual ideals.

Today, art has become a plaything of fashion which seeks not to emulate, but rather decry traditional ideals as worthless. Only the works that demonstrate ‘modern’ attitudes and techniques now hang in public places, galleries, business houses, waiting rooms and in the modern homes of those in the affluent western world. Regrettably, there are great volumes of traditional, beautiful works of European stored away from public appreciation and enjoyment in gallery basements , fated to become the focus of rare and special ‘exhibitions’ rather than generally on display.

Art canvasses are now directly seen as having a value directly related to dollars. Art has become popularly associated with commercial value rather than having any relationship whatsoever to its classical role in our culture and society.

Yet artistic expression of a people springs out of their country, as do their crafts. Each nation, through its inhabitants and its political, religious and philosophical influences gives expression to its unique art and culture. This was more clearly evident before the advent of the ‘globalization’ that has reduced time and distances between people and blurred the cultural and traditional differences between races.  All art has suffered to some extent as people have been influenced and sometimes tainted by contact with very different values from their established ones.

However, there is an anomaly. Whereas no one would wish to deprive indigenous art of its value and rather will show it great respect, even to the extent of adopting it, there is no such sanctity about our own European culture. Many older people in our country observe this attitude as a betrayal of our inherited traditions and western wisdom.

Throughout the world’s progress towards further ‘progress’ we are struggling towards excellence in all technological aspects related to our arts with magnificent results in many spheres. Yet we must continue to work hard if we are to halt the downward escalation towards ‘artistic expression’ being popularly seen as a rejection of quality by simply applauding an individual who expresses himself as he wishes, without restraint and often without skill.  Because of this weakness, art is fast becoming abused as a tool for distortion and destruction instead of being encouraged as a statement of cultural integrity.

Tags: art, beauty, classical skills, Culture, harmony, inspiring influence, lasting value

Filed under: Culture by admin