What is Art
Fichner-Rathus (2009) states that art is the exploration of skills vested in human beings for the purpose of conveyance of important information. Art is also considered to be a form of articulation of the human mind perceptions translated into the handwork with a resultant illustrious object appeasing to the eye. Any form of critical thinking and implementation is artistic in the sense that it integrates the imaginative part of the brain into a tangible image, which differs from one personality to the other. The broader analysis of the word “art” lays in the framework of the conventional word “artificial”, which means synthetic (Fichner-Rathus, 2009). Consequently, interpretation of any artistic work is through observation with the human eye. This also means that the word “art” forms the individual’s insight of the integrated results of the notions’ perception transformed into tangible products that are useful to the society.
Art is essential in modification of the human life since it forms the core values for communication. This implies that through participation in handwork, people tend to pass over information from one community to the other or from one generation to another. Moreover, it is a form of occupation for some communities, as the handwork created by one group of people could be the source of livelihood for another community, stimulating trade exchanges. These trading exchanges foster interactions within communities, thus, enhancing correlation, which forms the greatest aspect of the social life. Moreover, it brings out art as a form of understanding values and cultures within communities.
The prestigious aspect of art is through provision of leisure and entertainment. For instance, song and drama form the basic aspect of entertainment for the viewers, while the performers earn the critical skill in shaping their career. This implies that passive involvement in art through listening is a form of leisure; while participatory form of art forms a source of revenue through selling of the excerpts of music and dramatic scenes. Moreover, shows like the beauty contests involve artistic reformation of the pageants to suit the function, which culminates in improved performance.
Tolstoy (1996) reaffirms that art is important to the society in a sense that it creates beauty. This is the aesthetic value that art comes with it. For instance, the wall paintings and wall hangings form the source of beauty to buildings. The essence of art as an aesthetic value also appears along, for example, with the daily dressing code requirements or modifications to locomotive machines like vehicles. In real sense, art is a form of modification of the appearance of ordinary objects and a refurbishing agent for old goods making them new. This aspect shows versatile abilities in terms of talent vested to individuals. The involved critical thinking proves the diversity in knowledge, forming a resource for daily providence. Moreover, this is professional as it enables formation of organisations for refurbishing and pimping of the outlook of obvious objects to new forms pleasing to the eye (Tolstoy, 1996).
Art is also a form of reflection of the cultural identity. The objects that are found within the jurisdiction of some communities are largely explained by the cultural norms they hold. Moreover, some societies regard possession of artistic elements as a source of prestige making it the logo for identification of the cultural norms within communities. For instance, some communities make woodcarvings for worship, which implies that they vest their spiritual destiny to this form of artistic elements. This spiritual attachment to physical objects has diverse effects, which go along towards creation of identity of certain communities. It makes use of locally available resources, thus, allowing coexistence of man with the environment. This in real essence depicts the variation in forms of natural habitants made through the work of the hand. Overall, these endeavours evolve to improvement of the environment where man lives, making it more habitable.
Conversely, some elements of art are considered an omen to some communities bringing about the controversy in the products of the human hand. For instance, some communities do not allow synthesis of ammunitions, which endanger human life. Moreover, creation of explosives is not a recommendation to some countries. This has resulted in conflicting ideas over the legality of manufacture and trade in some of these beautiful destructive works of art. This has resulted in political polarity in some regions where this practice is rampant, while it has also escalated the rise in strain of international relations. This implies that not all images of art are helpful, depicting the need for selectivity while being involved into the implementation of ideas within reach by the human mind to avoid consequences of destructive art.
Art is also a form of uncovering truth. It is believed that with the help of communicative element of art, it has potential to reveal truth. Through artistic performance of hymns and portray of wall hanging the listener or the viewer is able to make judgement based on the information displayed. For instance, most communities use all the forms of art to eradicate ambiguity on certain matters affecting them. This clarity in ideas forms the basis of establishing truth. It is also useful for some communities since within the framework of art prevalence of some form of warning is depicted. For example, road signs designate action by the road users that could reduce vulnerability to impending danger, which enables coherency in the use of infrastructure and other amenities that require directives for use.
Art is also a form of the social and cultural well being reflection of the society. The diversity in notions within societies and disparities are easily explained through artistic methods like the photo-voice, where two contradicting views are brought together under one picture in order to bring attention to the policy makers to assess the situation and bring conformity. For instance, one might come up with a picture of people with vulnerability against those with vast health resources. This category of communication aims at bringing the situation on the ground into the light of leaders and the resource managers so as it initiate change management practices and bring conformity.
Art is also a tool for firing emotions through stimulation of the brain and the ethical part of the human being. This is from the fact that the message conveyed in the art could lead to different forms of interpretation. Depending on the viewer of the message, this could spur critical thinking, thus, stimulating the mind. For example, the fashion designers use this from of imaginative thinking to come up with patterns to suit different occasions. This is also a business venture as it helps keeping the fashion world to conformity with trends (Fichner-Rathus, 2009).
In general, art is anything seen and heard of, aided to existence by the work of the human brain, which implies that art is universal. It plays essential role across societies as it brings conformity with the normal, implying that there are more expectations from art, stipulating its role as a growing facility of communication between generations. Although, not all forms of art are beneficial, some forms of art like manufacture of weapons has resulted in war and loss of life. This implies that some images in art need selective criteria before formation to reduce chances of polarity to political systems and reduce prevalence rates of crime.
