Essay on Art

500 words essay on art.

Each morning we see the sunshine outside and relax while some draw it to feel relaxed. Thus, you see that art is everywhere and anywhere if we look closely. In other words, everything in life is artwork. The essay on art will help us go through the importance of art and its meaning for a better understanding.

essay on art

What is Art?

For as long as humanity has existed, art has been part of our lives. For many years, people have been creating and enjoying art.  It expresses emotions or expression of life. It is one such creation that enables interpretation of any kind.

It is a skill that applies to music, painting, poetry, dance and more. Moreover, nature is no less than art. For instance, if nature creates something unique, it is also art. Artists use their artwork for passing along their feelings.

Thus, art and artists bring value to society and have been doing so throughout history. Art gives us an innovative way to view the world or society around us. Most important thing is that it lets us interpret it on our own individual experiences and associations.

Art is similar to live which has many definitions and examples. What is constant is that art is not perfect or does not revolve around perfection. It is something that continues growing and developing to express emotions, thoughts and human capacities.

Importance of Art

Art comes in many different forms which include audios, visuals and more. Audios comprise songs, music, poems and more whereas visuals include painting, photography, movies and more.

You will notice that we consume a lot of audio art in the form of music, songs and more. It is because they help us to relax our mind. Moreover, it also has the ability to change our mood and brighten it up.

After that, it also motivates us and strengthens our emotions. Poetries are audio arts that help the author express their feelings in writings. We also have music that requires musical instruments to create a piece of art.

Other than that, visual arts help artists communicate with the viewer. It also allows the viewer to interpret the art in their own way. Thus, it invokes a variety of emotions among us. Thus, you see how essential art is for humankind.

Without art, the world would be a dull place. Take the recent pandemic, for example, it was not the sports or news which kept us entertained but the artists. Their work of arts in the form of shows, songs, music and more added meaning to our boring lives.

Therefore, art adds happiness and colours to our lives and save us from the boring monotony of daily life.

Get the huge list of more than 500 Essay Topics and Ideas

Conclusion of the Essay on Art

All in all, art is universal and can be found everywhere. It is not only for people who exercise work art but for those who consume it. If there were no art, we wouldn’t have been able to see the beauty in things. In other words, art helps us feel relaxed and forget about our problems.

FAQ of Essay on Art

Question 1: How can art help us?

Answer 1: Art can help us in a lot of ways. It can stimulate the release of dopamine in your bodies. This will in turn lower the feelings of depression and increase the feeling of confidence. Moreover, it makes us feel better about ourselves.

Question 2: What is the importance of art?

Answer 2: Art is essential as it covers all the developmental domains in child development. Moreover, it helps in physical development and enhancing gross and motor skills. For example, playing with dough can fine-tune your muscle control in your fingers.

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Why Is Art Important? – The Value of Creative Expression

Avatar for Isabella Meyer

The importance of art is an important topic and has been debated for many years. Some might think art is not as important as other disciplines like science or technology. Some might ask what art is able to offer the world in terms of evolution in culture and society, or perhaps how can art change us and the world. This article aims to explore these weighty questions and more. So, why is art important to our culture? Let us take a look.

Table of Contents

  • 1.1 The Definition of Art
  • 1.2 The Types and Genres of Art
  • 2.1 Art Is a Universal Language
  • 2.2 Art Allows for Self-Expression
  • 2.3 Art Keeps Track of History and Culture
  • 2.4 Art Assists in Education and Human Development
  • 2.5 Art Adds Beauty for Art’s Sake
  • 2.6 Art Is Socially and Financially Rewarding
  • 2.7 Art Is a Powerful (Political) Tool
  • 3 Art Will Always Be There
  • 4.1 What Is the Importance of Arts?
  • 4.2 Why Is Art Important to Culture?
  • 4.3 What Are the Different Types of Art?
  • 4.4 What Is the Definition of Art?

What Is Art?

There is no logical answer when we ponder the importance of arts. It is, instead, molded by centuries upon centuries of creation and philosophical ideas and concepts. These not only shaped and informed the way people did things, but they inspired people to do things and live certain ways.

We could even go so far as to say the importance of art is borne from the very act of making art. In other words, it is formulated from abstract ideas, which then turn into the action of creating something (designated as “art”, although this is also a contested topic). This then evokes an impetus or movement within the human individual.

The Importance of Arts

This impetus or movement can be anything from stirred up emotions, crying, feeling inspired, education, the sheer pleasure of aesthetics, or the simple convenience of functional household items – as we said earlier, the importance of art does not have a logical answer.

Before we go deeper into this question and concept, we need some context. Below, we look at some definitions of art to help shape our understanding of art and what it is for us as humans, thus allowing us to better understand its importance.

The Definition of Art

Simply put, the definition of the word “art” originates from the Latin ars or artem , which means “skill”, “craft”, “work of art”, among other similar descriptions. According to Merriam-Webster’s online dictionary, the word has various meanings; art may be a “skill acquired by experience, study, or observation”, a “branch of learning”, “an occupation requiring knowledge or skill”, or “the conscious use of skill and creative imagination especially in the production of aesthetic objects”.

We might also tend to think of art in terms of the latter definition provided above, “the conscious use of skill” in the “production of aesthetic objects”. However, does art only serve aesthetic purposes? That will also depend on what art means to us personally, and not how it is collectively defined. If a painting done with great skill is considered to be art, would a piece of furniture that is also made with great skill receive the same label as being art?

Thus, art is defined by our very own perceptions.

Importance of Art History

Art has also been molded by different definitions throughout history. When we look at it during the Classical or Renaissance periods , it was very much defined by a set of rules, especially through the various art academies in the major European regions like Italy (Academy and Company for the Arts of Drawing in Florence), France (French Academy of Fine Arts), and England (Royal Academy of Arts in London).

In other words, art had an academic component to it so as to distinguish artists from craftsmen.

The defining factor has always been between art for art’s sake , art for aesthetic purposes, and art that serves a purpose or a function, which is also referred to as “utilitarianism”. It was during the Classical and Renaissance periods that art was defined according to these various predetermined rules, but that leaves us with the question of whether these so-called rules are able to illustrate the deeper meaning of what art is?

If we move forward in time to the 20 th  century and the more modern periods of art history, we find ourselves amidst a whole new art world. People have changed considerably between now and the Renaissance era, but we can count on art to be like a trusted friend, reflecting and expressing what is inherent in the cultures and people of the time.

Importance of Art Today

During the 20 th  century, art was not confined to rules like perspective, symmetry, religious subject matter, or only certain types of media like oil paints . Art was freed, so to say, and we see the definition of it changing (literally) in front of our very own eyes over a variety of canvases and objects. Art movements like Cubism , Fauvism, Dadaism, and Surrealism, among others, facilitated this newfound freedom in art.

Artists no longer subscribed to a set of rules and created art from a more subjective vantage point.

Additionally, more resources became available beyond only paint, and artists were able to explore new methods and techniques previously not available. This undoubtedly changed the preconceived notions of what art was. Art became commercialized, aestheticized, and devoid of the traditional Classical meaning from before. We can see this in other art movements like Pop Art and Abstract Expressionism, among others.

The Types and Genres of Art

There are also different types and genres of art, and all have had their own evolution in terms of being classified as art. These are the fine arts, consisting of painting, drawing, sculpting, and printmaking; applied arts like architecture; as well as different forms of design such as interior, graphic, and fashion design, which give day-to-day objects aesthetic value.

Other types of art include more decorative or ornamental pieces like ceramics, pottery, jewelry, mosaics, metalwork, woodwork, and fabrics like textiles. Performance arts involve theater and drama, music, and other forms of movement-based modalities like dancing, for example. Lastly, Plastic arts include works made with different materials that are pliable and able to be formed into the subject matter, thus becoming a more hands-on approach with three-dimensional interaction.

Importance of Art in Different Forms

Top Reasons for the Importance of Art

Now that we have a reasonable understanding of what art is, and a definition that is ironically undefinable due to the ever-evolving and fluid nature of art, we can look at how the art that we have come to understand is important to culture and society. Below, we will outline some of the top reasons for the importance of art.

Art Is a Universal Language

Art does not need to explain in words how someone feels – it only shows. Almost anyone can create something that conveys a message on a personal or public level, whether it is political, social, cultural, historical, religious, or completely void of any message or purpose. Art becomes a universal language for all of us to tell our stories; it is the ultimate storyteller.

We can tell our stories through paintings, songs, poetry, and many other modalities.

Why Is Art Important to Culture

Art connects us with others too. Whenever we view a specific artwork, which was painted by a person with a particular idea in mind, the viewer will feel or think a certain way, which is informed by the artwork (and artist’s) message. As a result, art becomes a universal language used to speak, paint, perform, or build that goes beyond different cultures, religions, ethnicities, or languages. It touches the deepest aspects of being human, which is something we all share.

Art Allows for Self-Expression

Touching on the above point, art touches the deepest aspects of being human and allows us to express these deeper aspects when words fail us. Art becomes like a best friend, giving us the freedom and space to be creative and explore our talents, gifts, and abilities. It can also help us when we need to express difficult emotions and feelings or when we need mental clarity – it gives us an outlet.

Art is widely utilized as a therapeutic tool for many people and is an important vehicle to maintain mental and emotional health. Art also allows us to create something new that will add value to the lives of others. Consistently expressing ourselves through a chosen art modality will also enable us to become more proficient and disciplined in our skills.

Importance of Art Expression

Art Keeps Track of History and Culture

We might wonder, why is art important to culture? As a universal language and an expression of our deepest human nature, art has always been the go-to to keep track of everyday events, almost like a visual diary. From the geometric motifs and animals found in early prehistoric cave paintings to portrait paintings from the Renaissance, every artwork is a small window into the ways of life of people from various periods in history. Art connects us with our ancestors and lineage.

When we find different artifacts from all over the world, we are shown how different cultures lived thousands of years ago. We can keep track of our current cultural trends and learn from past societal challenges. We can draw inspiration from past art and artifacts and in turn, create new forms of art.

Art is both timeless and a testament to the different times in our history.

Art Assists in Education and Human Development

Art helps with human development in terms of learning and understanding difficult concepts, as it accesses different parts of the human brain. It allows people to problem-solve as well as make more complex concepts easier to understand by providing a visual format instead of just words or numbers. Other areas that art assists learners in (range from children to adults) are the development of motor skills, critical thinking, creativity, social skills, as well as the ability to think from different perspectives.

Importance of Art Lessons

Art subjects will also help students improve on other subjects like maths or science. Various research states the positive effects art has on students in public schools – it increases discipline and attendance and decreases the level of unruly behavior.

According to resources and questions asked to students about how art benefits them, they reported that they look forward to their art lesson more than all their other lessons during their school day. Additionally, others dislike the structured format of their school days, and art allows for more creativity and expression away from all the rules. It makes students feel free to do and be themselves.

Art Adds Beauty for Art’s Sake

Art is versatile. Not only can it help us in terms of more complex emotional and mental challenges and enhance our well-being, but it can also simply add beauty to our lives. It can be used in numerous ways to make spaces and areas visually appealing.

When we look at something beautiful, we immediately feel better. A piece of art in a room or office can either create a sense of calm and peace or a sense of movement and dynamism.

Art can lift a space either through a painting on a wall, a piece of colorful furniture, a sculpture, an ornamental object, or even the whole building itself, as we see from so many examples in the world of architecture. Sometimes, art can be just for art’s sake.

Importance of Art

Art Is Socially and Financially Rewarding

Art can be socially and financially rewarding in so many ways. It can become a profession where artists of varying modalities can earn an income doing what they love. In turn, it becomes part of the economy. If artists sell their works, whether in an art gallery, a park, or online, this will attract more people to their location. Thus, it could even become a beacon for improved tourism to a city or country.

The best examples are cities in Europe where there are numerous art galleries and architectural landmarks celebrating artists from different periods in art history, from Gothic cathedrals like the Notre Dame in Paris to the Vincent van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam. Art can also encourage people to do exercise by hiking up mountains to visit pre-historic rock art caves.

Art Is a Powerful (Political) Tool

Knowing that art is so versatile, that it can be our best friend and teacher, makes it a very powerful tool. The history of humankind gives us thousands of examples that show how art has been used in the hands of people who mean well and people who do not mean well.

Therefore, understanding the role of art in our lives as a powerful tool gives us a strong indication of its importance.

Art is also used as a political medium. Examples include memorials to celebrate significant changemakers in our history, and conveying powerful messages to society in the form of posters, banners, murals, and even graffiti. It has been used throughout history by those who have rebelled as well as those who created propaganda to show the world their intentions, as extreme as wanting to take over the world or disrupt existing regimes.

Importance of Art in Politics

The Futurist art movement is an example of art combined with a group of men who sought to change the way of the future, informed by significant changes in society like the industrial revolution. It also became a mode of expression of the political stances of its members.

Other movements like Constructivism and Suprematism used art to convey socialist ideals, also referred to as Socialist Realism.

Other artists like Jacques-Louis David from the Neoclassical movement produced paintings influenced by political events; the subject matter also included themes like patriotism. Other artists include Pablo Picasso and his famous oil painting , Guernica (1937), which is a symbol and allegory intended to reach people with its message.

The above examples all illustrate to us that various wars, conflicts, and revolutions throughout history, notably World Wars I and II, have influenced both men and women to produce art that either celebrates or instigates changes in society. The power of art’s visual and symbolic impact has been able to convey and appeal to the masses.

The Importance of Arts in Politics

Art Will Always Be There

The importance of art is an easy concept to understand because there are so many reasons that explain its benefits in our lives. We do not have to look too hard to determine its importance. We can also test it on our lives by the effects it has on how we feel and think when we engage with it as onlookers or as active participants – whether it is painting, sculpting, or standing in an art gallery.

What art continuously shows us is that it is a constant in our lives, our cultures, and the world. It has always been there to assist us in self-expression and telling our story in any way we want to. It has also given us glimpses of other cultures along the way.

Art is fluid and versatile, just like a piece of clay that can be molded into a beautiful bowl or a slab of marble carved into a statue. Art is also a powerful tool that can be used for the good of humanity good or as a political weapon.

Art is important because it gives us the power to mold and shape our lives and experiences. It allows us to respond to our circumstances on micro- and macroscopic levels, whether it is to appreciate beauty, enhance our wellbeing, delve deeper into the spiritual or metaphysical, celebrate changes, or to rebel and revolt.

Take a look at our purpose of art webstory here!

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the importance of arts.

There are many reasons that explain the importance of art. It is a universal language because it crosses language and cultural barriers, making it a visual language that anyone can understand; it helps with self-expression and self-awareness because it acts as a vehicle wherein we can explore our emotions and thoughts; it is a record of past cultures and history; it helps with education and developing different skill sets; it can be financially rewarding, it can be a powerful political tool, and it adds beauty and ambiance to our lives and makes us feel good.

Why Is Art Important to Culture?

Art is important to culture because it can bridge the gap between different racial groups, religious groups, dialects, and ethnicities. It can express common values, virtues, and morals that we can all understand and feel. Art allows us to ask important questions about life and society. It allows reflection, it opens our hearts to empathy for others, as well as how we treat and relate to one another as human beings.

What Are the Different Types of Art?

There are many different types of art, including fine arts like painting, drawing, sculpture, and printmaking, as well as applied arts like architecture, design such as interior, graphic, and fashion. Other types of art include decorative arts like ceramics, pottery, jewelry, mosaics, metalwork, woodwork, and fabrics like textiles; performance arts like theater, music, dancing; and Plastic arts that work with different pliable materials.

What Is the Definition of Art?

The definition of the word “art” originates from the Latin ars or artem , which means “skill”, “craft”, and a “work of art”. The Merriam-Webster online dictionary offers several meanings, for example, art is a “skill acquired by experience, study, or observation”, it is a “branch of learning”, “an occupation requiring knowledge or skill”, or “the conscious use of skill and creative imagination especially in the production of aesthetic objects”.

isabella meyer

Isabella studied at the University of Cape Town in South Africa and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts majoring in English Literature & Language and Psychology. Throughout her undergraduate years, she took Art History as an additional subject and absolutely loved it. Building on from her art history knowledge that began in high school, art has always been a particular area of fascination for her. From learning about artworks previously unknown to her, or sharpening her existing understanding of specific works, the ability to continue learning within this interesting sphere excites her greatly.

Her focal points of interest in art history encompass profiling specific artists and art movements, as it is these areas where she is able to really dig deep into the rich narrative of the art world. Additionally, she particularly enjoys exploring the different artistic styles of the 20 th century, as well as the important impact that female artists have had on the development of art history.

Learn more about Isabella Meyer and the Art in Context Team .

Cite this Article

Isabella, Meyer, “Why Is Art Important? – The Value of Creative Expression.” Art in Context. July 26, 2021. URL: https://artincontext.org/why-is-art-important/

Meyer, I. (2021, 26 July). Why Is Art Important? – The Value of Creative Expression. Art in Context. https://artincontext.org/why-is-art-important/

Meyer, Isabella. “Why Is Art Important? – The Value of Creative Expression.” Art in Context , July 26, 2021. https://artincontext.org/why-is-art-important/ .

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It’s great that you talked about how there are various kinds and genres of art. I was reading an art book earlier and it was quite interesting to learn more about the history of art. I also learned other things, like the existence of online american indian art auctions.

I just love your article…I am an art teacher from Papua New Guinea – a developing country in Oceania (South Pacific). I was enthralled after reading your article and wish to hear more from you. I come from a country where art and culture are embedded in our tribal peoples from generation.

Hi John, thank you very much for your feedback, it’s great to see that art is something that works all around the world!

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The Most Famous Artists and Artworks

Discover the most famous artists, paintings, sculptors…in all of history! 

essay about role of art

MOST FAMOUS ARTISTS AND ARTWORKS

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How does art affect us?

It’s no secret that art can impact lots of people’s lives in very meaningful and deep ways. “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder” can attest to this much at the very least. Whether you think art is paint on a canvas or scenes from the nature that surrounds you, what we as a society deem art has an impact on us all.

Art is actually part of what historians deem necessary for a group of people to be considered a society! Art, along with writing, cities, government, religion, and social structure, is the very basis of life as we as humans have known it for millennia. So, it shouldn’t be surprising that art has both a mental and physical effect on the human being. 

To begin, music can have a significant effect on concentration. A lot of research has gone into its ability to help people hone their concentration, and theories such as the Mozart effect suggest that this effect extends to even spatial awareness. Physically, dancing is something that most people universally feel compelled to do when hearing a catchy beat. However, there is a physical effect besides dancing that not everyone feels: goosebumps. Studies suggest that 50% of all people experience this phenomena (Salimpoor, Benovoy, Larcher, Dagher, Zatorre, 2011), and is a result of excitement from music. It was found that dopamine production was very high while participants were listening to music, and this could suggest why music has been such a large part of cultures across the ages. 

Visual art can produce a lot of the same effects that music does. General feelings of happiness and calmness can be found and utilized via art therapy. Many people use these benefits of art to quell distress and solve problems in their own lives, and part of this effect is suggested to be caused by being involved in something tangible (Malchiodi, 2012). Tangibility is something that isn’t often seen when dealing with mental issues. Most all of our mental issues stem from the chemicals within us that dictate how we view situations and the reactions we have in regards to them, and while it may be possible to visualize how these chemicals work, you cannot mold your reactions and chemical outputs like you can mold a block of clay or paint a piece of canvas. Control is something that many who are struggling with internal battles such as mental illness or grief are desiring to achieve, and art therapy and other physical-emotional therapies can help achieve a more tangible version of this.

The picture I’ve included displays the ventral striatum, which has also been shown to be activated and produce dopamine when shown art via a study at Emory (Eastman, 2011). When shown a photograph versus an artistic rendition of the subject, participants were seen to have much more activity in the ventral striatum while looking at the art. This part of your brain is very close to the midbrain and plays a role in the decision making vs reward system. So, looking at art may actually be a reward from our brain’s point of view!

Overall, art is an essential part of the human experience. Even if it doesn’t play a big role in someone’s personal life, art shapes the world around us and almost everything we experience when we interact with others. Art impacts what’s on the T.V. when you turn it on, it impacts what you see in textbooks on ancient civilizations (be it cave paintings, classical works, or folk art), it impacts what comes on on your radio and what reaches the tops of the charts on your streaming services. Art impacts us all, whether it makes you sad, happy, or anywhere in between. 

Eastman Q. 2011 Jan 6. Viewing Art Activates Brain’s Reward Circuits.

Malchiodi CA. 2012. Handbook of Art Therapy, Second Edition.

Salimpoor VN, Benovoy M, Larcher K, Dagher A, Zatorre RJ. 2011. Anatomically distinct dopamine release during anticipation and experience of peak emotion to music. Nature Neuroscience 14:257–262.

3 Comments Add yours

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I love the subject of you blog post! I find it fascinating that humain beings are related by art. You do not need to speak the same language as the artist to understand his work. However, it is very personal at the same time since everyone has their own interpretation of what they see. It is also true art can become very useful for our everyday life, with Art Therapy for example. We can see the emotional impact it can have on humain beings.

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Katie, fascinating ideas! I totally agree with what you explained about how art has a significant impact on our lives even if many of us don’t think about it usually. Art, as a way of expression,. should be taken more seriously as it is inseparable from our daily life. We can see art almost everywhere around us and in almost everything we do. I liked how you introduce and literate the ideas on that. I am inspired in many ways!

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I really like your post. The concept and definition of art is very broad and obscure, but it is also what makes it so interesting. Ranging from visual, to auditory, to a combo of both, or even though, art can mean a lot of things, yet they are hoping to communicate a message or feeling through the works. I think what is important, like what you mentioned in the end, is to realize the essential role of all forms of arts in our lives and appreciation the impacts they bring.

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The Value of Art Why should we care about art?

The Value of Art, Essays on Art

One of the first questions raised when talking about art is simple—why should we care? Art in the contemporary era is easy to dismiss as a selfish pastime for people who have too much time on their hands. Creating art doesn't cure disease, build roads, or feed the poor. So to understand the value of art, let’s look at how art has been valued through history and consider how it is valuable today.

The value of creating

At its most basic level, the act of creating is rewarding in itself. Children draw for the joy of it before they can speak, and creating pictures, sculptures and writing is both a valuable means of communicating ideas and simply fun. Creating is instinctive in humans, for the pleasure of exercising creativity. While applied creativity is valueable in a work context, free-form creativity leads to new ideas.

Material value

Through the ages, art has often been created from valuable materials. Gold , ivory and gemstones adorn medieval crowns , and even the paints used by renaissance artists were made from rare materials like lapis lazuli , ground into pigment. These objects have creative value for their beauty and craftsmanship, but they are also intrinsically valuable because of the materials they contain.

Historical value

Artwork is a record of cultural history. Many ancient cultures are entirely lost to time except for the artworks they created, a legacy that helps us understand our human past. Even recent work can help us understand the lives and times of its creators, like the artwork of African-American artists during the Harlem Renaissance . Artwork is inextricably tied to the time and cultural context it was created in, a relationship called zeitgeist , making art a window into history.

Religious value

For religions around the world, artwork is often used to illustrate their beliefs. Depicting gods and goddesses, from Shiva to the Madonna , make the concepts of faith real to the faithful. Artwork has been believed to contain the spirits of gods or ancestors, or may be used to imbue architecture with an aura of awe and worship like the Badshahi Mosque .

Patriotic value

Art has long been a source of national pride, both as an example of the skill and dedication of a country’s artisans and as expressions of national accomplishments and history, like the Arc de Triomphe , a heroic monument honoring the soldiers who died in the Napoleonic Wars. The patriotic value of art slides into propaganda as well, used to sway the populace towards a political agenda.

Symbolic value

Art is uniquely suited to communicating ideas. Whether it’s writing or painting or sculpture, artwork can distill complex concepts into symbols that can be understood, even sometimes across language barriers and cultures. When art achieves symbolic value it can become a rallying point for a movement, like J. Howard Miller’s 1942 illustration of Rosie the Riveter, which has become an icon of feminism and women’s economic impact across the western world.

Societal value

And here’s where the rubber meets the road: when we look at our world today, we see a seemingly insurmountable wave of fear, bigotry, and hatred expressed by groups of people against anyone who is different from them. While issues of racial and gender bias, homophobia and religious intolerance run deep, and have many complex sources, much of the problem lies with a lack of empathy. When you look at another person and don't see them as human, that’s the beginning of fear, violence and war. Art is communication. And in the contemporary world, it’s often a deeply personal communication. When you create art, you share your worldview, your history, your culture and yourself with the world. Art is a window, however small, into the human struggles and stories of all people. So go see art, find art from other cultures, other religions, other orientations and perspectives. If we learn about each other, maybe we can finally see that we're all in this together. Art is a uniquely human expression of creativity. It helps us understand our past, people who are different from us, and ultimately, ourselves.

Reed Enger, "The Value of Art, Why should we care about art?," in Obelisk Art History , Published June 24, 2017; last modified November 08, 2022, http://www.arthistoryproject.com/essays/the-value-of-art/.

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The Artist

What is Art? Why is Art Important?

what is art

What is art? – The dictionary definition of art says that it is “the conscious use of skill and creative imagination , especially in the production of aesthetic objects” (Merriam-Webster). Art is essential to society as it stimulates creativity , reflects culture, fosters empathy, provokes thought, and offers a medium for expression. It enhances society’s intellectual and emotional understanding of the world.

But the thing about art is that it’s so diverse that there are as many ways to understand it as there are people.

That’s why there are scholars who give their special definition of the word, such as the one penned by this famous Russian novelist, which goes:

“Art is the activity by which a person, having experienced an emotion, intentionally transmits it to others” – Leo Tolstoy

During his life, Tolstoy was known to write based on his life experiences, such as his most famous work, “War and Peace,” which used much of his experience during the Crimean War.

Whether or not his definition of art is the best, the point is that people look at art based on how they have experienced it.

What is Art?

There are many common definitions of art as per many books by famous artists and authors . Few to quote:

  • any creative work of a human being
  • a form of expressing oneself
  • resides in the quality of doing; the process is not magic
  • an act of making something visually entertaining
  • an activity that manifests beauty ( What is Beauty in Art? )
  • the mastery, an ideal way of doing things
  • not a thing — it is a way (Elbert Hubbard)
  • the most intense mode of individualism that the world has known
  • discovery and development of elementary principles of nature into beautiful forms suitable for human use (Frank Lloyd Wright)

Why is Art Important?

Probably, the most prominent theory which best explains – Why is art important – is from Van Jones, which subtly provides a great response to What is art?

Van Jones presented a graph that accurately represents the interaction between the four aspects of society and its different members.

Consequently, Vones depicts why art is important to our society.

The graph (below) represents our society.

Society is driven by the powerful elites, the dependent masses, the government, cultural producers, and artists

essay about role of art

On the left, you have action, and on the right, ideas; elites are at the top, and the masses are below. There’s an inside act and an outside act.

On the inside, there’s big money: elites are spending millions of dollars to influence politicians and policymakers. The inside act has the power to influence policy creators.

On the outside, we at the grassroots set our expectations and needs so that the elected candidates pass laws that give us power. Masses reflect what society wants (heart)

The left side, “action,” often means quantifiable policy changes. The right side, “ideas,” can be harder to see. We are not necessarily talking about concrete things here, but rather, a “headspace.”

Academic institutions and think tanks, which are not always involved in the immediate policy wins, are significant in creating a culture of thought

While the left side, “action,” continues to produce quantifiable policy changes and new laws, the right side, “ïdeas,” can be hard to quantify its outcome. Although “head” talks about theories and academics, it fails to contribute significantly to policymakers.

Artists come into the play here at this moment

Artists are represented here on the side of ideas, in the “heart space.”

Art is uniquely positioned to move people—inspiring us, inciting new questions, and provoking curiosity, excitement, and outrage.

Artists can strengthen the will and push people to act. They do not think like policymakers or academics people.

Artists think from their heart – big, revolutionary, and visionary ideas.

This is why artists are able to move people to action, thus creates a significant cultural and political contributions.

This is what makes art powerful.

Impact of Art on Politics, Culture, and People

Art is essential in society because it is an essential ingredient in empowering people’s hearts.

When activists show images of children suffering from poverty or oppression in their campaigns, this is the art of pulling the heartstrings of society’s elite and powerful to make changes.

Similarly, when photographers publish photos of war-torn areas, it catches the attention of the masses whose hearts reach out to those who need help.

When an artist creates great music and movies, it entertains people worldwide. This is art, making a difference in society.

A very modern example of art in action is street art. When the famous Italian street artist Blu created the mural in Kreuzberg , it sparked a lot of solid and different reactions rooted deeply in the differences between East and West Berlin.

Who would have thought that a wall painting depicting two masked figures trying to unmask each other could elicit such strong reactions?

Mural Blu

Now, the issue behind this mural is a different matter to discuss. But whether or not the effect of the mural was good, it cannot be denied how a well-crafted piece of art can have a significant impact on society.

Art is also a remarkable mode of depicting culture from all over the world

When you see a Zen garden in Sydney or San Francisco, you know that it’s a practice that originated from China.

Likewise, when you see paper swans swarming a beautiful wedding ceremony, you know that this is origami, an art from Japan.

When you see films featuring Bollywood music and dancing, you know that it’s a movie from India. Art can take cultural practices from their origins and transport and integrate them into different parts of the world without losing their identity.

There, these art forms can entertain, create awareness, and even inspire foreigners to accept these cultures, no matter how strange or alien they may seem.

And that’s precisely what John Dewey implies in Art as an Experience:

“Barriers are dissolved; limiting prejudices melt away when we enter into the spirit of Negro or Polynesian Art. This insensible melting is far more efficacious than the change effected by reasoning, because it enters directly into attitude.”

This is especially important in our highly globalized world.

Art has played an essential role in helping fight against intolerance of different cultures, racism, and other forms of unjust societal segregation.

With immigration becoming a trend, the world’s countries are expected to be more tolerant and accepting of those who enter their borders.

Art helps make that happen by making sure that identities and their cultures are given due recognition around the world.

Art stimulates creativity and innovation.

Art inspires creativity and innovation beyond boundaries, encouraging imagination, lateral thinking, and risk-taking. The process of creating art involves experimentation and novel ideas, which can influence progress in various industries.

Art also challenges perceptions and assumptions, encouraging critical thinking and open-mindedness, which are essential for innovation. By presenting alternative realities or questioning the status quo, art inspires individuals to think differently and to approach problems from unique angles.

Furthermore, the aesthetic experience of art can lead to epiphanies and insights.

The beauty or emotional impact of a piece of art can trigger ideas and spark the imagination in ways that logical reasoning alone may not. This can lead to breakthroughs in creative and scientific endeavors, as individuals draw inspiration from the emotions evoked by art.

Art plays a subtle yet significant role in our daily lives.

For instance, when a child takes part in a school art project, they are given a variety of materials to create a collage. As they construct a 3D model of an imaginary winged vehicle with multiple wheels, the textures and shapes inspire them. This hands-on exploration of materials and forms sparks the child’s interest in engineering and design, planting the seeds for future innovation.

The above example illustrates how art can engage young minds, encouraging them to think creatively and envision innovative solutions beyond conventional boundaries.

In essence, art fuels the creative fire, providing the sparks that can ignite the next wave of innovation in society.

Great Art elicits powerful sentiments and tells meaningful stories

Art can take the form of film, music, theatre, and pop culture , all of which aim to entertain and make people happy. But when films, songs, or plays are made for a specific audience or purpose, the art begins to diversify.

Films, for example, can be made to spread awareness or cultural appreciation. Songs can also be composed in a way that brings out certain emotions, give inspiration, or boost the morale of people.

During the Victorian period in England, women started to make a name for themselves with classic artworks such as Elizabeth Sirani’s “ Portia Wounding Her Thigh ”, a painting that signifies the message that a woman is now willing to distance herself from gender biasedness.

Porcia wounding her thigh, by Elisabetta Sirani.

The painting’s subject depicts an act of a woman possessing the same strength as that of a man. “Portia” represents surrender because she isn’t the same type of woman known in society as weak and prone to gossip.

One of the revolutionary works in history that ultimately opened the doors of art to women in general showed the power of women in art

There are also works of art that illicit intellectual solid discourse – the kind that can question norms and change the behavior of society.

Sometimes, still, art is there to reach out to a person who shares the same thoughts, feelings, and experiences as the artist.

The truth is that art is more than just a practice – it is a way of life. Art is more than just a skill – it is a passion. Art is more than just an image – each one tells a story.

The fact that art is quite connected to human experience makes it unsurprising that we have always made it part of our ways of living.

This is why ancient and present-day indigenous groups from all over the world have a knack for mixing art and their traditional artifacts or rituals without them knowing, which in fact one of the fundamental reasons why art is essential.

Why is Art so Powerful?  Why is art important to human society?

Perhaps the most straightforward answer to this question is that art touches us emotionally.

Art is influential because it can potentially influence our culture, politics, and even the economy. When we see a powerful work of art, we feel it touching deep within our core, giving us the power to make real-life changes.

In the words of Leo Tolstoy:

“The activity of art is based on the capacity of people to infect others with their own emotions and to be infected by the emotions of others. Strong emotions, weak emotions, important emotions or irrelevant emotions, good emotions or bad emotions – if they contaminate the reader, the spectator, or the listener – it attains the function of art.”

In sum, art can be considered powerful because of the following reasons, among others:

  • It has the power to educate people about almost anything. It can create awareness and present information in a way that could be absorbed by many quickly. In a world where some don’t even have access to good education, art makes education an even greater equalizer of society.
  • It promotes cultural appreciation among a generation that’s currently preoccupied with their technology. It can be said that if it weren’t for art, our history, culture, and traditions would be in more danger of being forgotten than they already are.
  • It breaks cultural, social, and economic barriers . While art can’t solve poverty or promote social justice alone, it can be a leveled playing field for discourse and expression. The reason why everyone can relate to art is that everyone has emotions and personal experiences. Therefore, anyone can learn to appreciate art regardless of social background, economic standing, or political affiliation.
  • It accesses higher orders of thinking . Art doesn’t just make you absorb information. Instead, it makes you think about current ideas and inspire you to make your own. This is why creativity is a form of intelligence – it is a unique ability that unlocks the potential of the human mind. Studies have shown that exposure to art can improve you in other fields of knowledge.

The truth is that people have recognized how influential art can be.

Many times in history, I have heard of people being criticized, threatened, censored, and even killed because of their artwork.

Those responsible for these reactions, whether a belligerent government or a dissident group, take these measures against artists, knowing how much their works can affect the politics in a given area.

In the hands of good people, however, art can be used to give back hope or instill courage in a society that’s undergoing a lot of hardships.

Art is a powerful form of therapy .

essay about role of art

Some say art is boring . But the fact remains that art has the power to take cultural practices from where they are from and then transport and integrate them into different parts of the world without losing their identity.

Art helps make that happen by making sure that identities and their cultures are given due recognition around the world. Thus, it is essential to reflect upon – Why art is critical – which, in fact, provides you the answer to – What is art?

This is why we at The Artist believe that art is a form of creative human expression, a way of enriching the human experience.

NFTs: The Future of Art

Now, the world of art is shifting towards a digital and alternative world. And NFT is becoming a game-changing variable in the future of art .

What is NFT artwork?

An NFT , which stands for “non-fungible token” can be defined as a digital file that can be simply and easily transferred across a blockchain network.

Many people around the world are seeking out these digital assets to sell and trade in their everyday market trading, since these items are able to be traced, have value and oftentimes also have considerable rarity for collectors.

While artistic works are certainly a part of the NFT market, a variety of different players are getting involved through gaming systems, avatars, and even entire virtual worlds.

Such tokens have a wide variety of usage and while for many these are out of reach, for serious investors NFTs can prove to be a profitable source of income.

Art plays a significant role in society by acting as an educational equalizer, fostering cultural appreciation, bridging cultural and social divides, and stimulating higher orders of thinking and creativity.

Art and its definition will always be controversial.

There will always be debates about what art is and what is not.

But no matter what the definition may be, it has been around us for as long as humans have existed (i.e. cave paintings, hieroglyphics).

Whether or not we are aware of it, we allow art to affect our lives one way or another, and the reasons why we make art are many!

We use the arts for our entertainment, cultural appreciation, aesthetics, personal improvement, and even social change. We use the arts to thrive in this world.

So, share your thoughts – What does art mean to you? Art plays a subtle yet significant role in our daily lives. For instance, when a child takes part in a school art project, they are given a variety of materials to create a collage. As they construct a 3D model of an imaginary winged vehicle with multiple wheels, the textures and shapes inspire them. This hands-on exploration of materials and forms sparks the child’s interest in engineering and design, planting the seeds for future innovation. This example illustrates how art can engage young minds, encouraging them to think creatively and envision innovative solutions beyond conventional boundaries.

Passionate experimenter with a heart for art, design, and tech. A relentless explorer of the culture, creative and innovative realms.

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Art makes society: an introductory visual essay

Profile image of John Robb

2013, World Art 3(1):3-22

In this visual essay that serves as an introduction to the set of articles presented in this issue, we illustrate four ways that art makes society. We adopt a stance informed by recent perspectives on material culture, moving away from thinking about art purely in aesthetic terms, instead asking how art objects have significance in particular cultural and social contexts. Arguing that art is participatory as well as visually affecting, we first suggest that art creates sites of activity for shared interaction. Second, we discuss the varied ways that people use art to create and assert representational models for social relations. Third, we consider the varied roles of art as cultural capital, marking out members of society through shared forms of knowledge or access to art. Finally, we document the ways that art serves as a medium of exclusion and as a means for resisting authority or challenging power relations. We highlight the layered meanings inherent in many artworks.

Related Papers

World Art (vol 3: 163-168)

essay about role of art

Grace McQuilten

This paper was first presented at the Art Association of Australia and New Zealand Conference in 2013. Selected parts of the paper have also been included in the 2015 book Art as Enterprise (IB Tauris). The paper re-orients the discussion about social practice in contemporary art to consider the economic and political drivers of this trend. Social practice in the arts has emerged as an increasingly dominant force in contemporary art over the last decade, with a particular escalation evident following the global financial crisis of 2008. There are numerous drivers for these developments, including; artists reacting against the commercialism of the contemporary art market; government funding and public policy agendas, particularly the idea of ‘the big society’; and the corporate social responsibility objectives of private sponsors. The relationship between art and money is clearly an important factor in each of these developments, however the discourse around social art practice tends to focus on the political and social efficacy of art, on the one hand, or the potential loss of aesthetic and critical value, on the other. This paper takes Slavoj Zizek’s critique of charity as a starting point to critically examine two social art projects with a community development agenda, No Longer Empty (USA) and Creative Spaces (Australia), considering how they engage with, and shed light on, social justice and economic inequalities produced within the art world.

Emmanuel David

"THE FOLLOWING ESSAYS EXPLORE MANY DIMENSIONS OF THE ROLE OF ART IN PROCESSES of social change. Some address the power of art as a voice of dissent, as a tool for advancing social justice and democracy, as the core of a revolutionary strategy, and as a source of memory and future ways of knowing. Other essays warn about the art of power, such as government and art world censorship, the co-optive ability of capitalism, and the blinding force of Western rationalization."

Bruce M Mackh, PhD

Jon Price , leonie hodkevitch

With social justice becoming an increasingly common concern in cultural discourse, this talk at London's Austrian Cultural Forum considered what exactly is meant by "social justice" in this context and the ways in which the arts relate - in both positive and negative ways - to the term. Given art's various historical relationships and allegiances to individualism, authority, money and power, any commitment to social justice requires layers of self-awareness and self-criticality that cannot be taken for granted. Alongside these caveats, several positive examples of the potential of culture to influence positive change at both individual and institutional levels were outlined. A parallel contribution was made by Vienna-based writer and cultural management specialist Leonie Hodkevitch and the issues were then debated passionately by members of the audience.

Community Psychology and the Socio-economics of Mental Distress

Michael Murray

ABSTRACT Different forms of social oppression permeate our everyday lives and require ongoing effort to challenge and to resist. Disadvantaged communities experience multiple forms of social oppression which have accumulated over time. The internalisation of this social oppression contributes to feelings of powerlessness and futility. Engaging such communities in a process of active resistance cannot be imposed but requires ongoing collaboration. Participatory action research is premised upon this active involvement of the participants in a process of personal and social transformation. Through individual and collective action the participants can reassess their worlds and consider new ways of challenging various forms of social oppression. This chapter considers the background to understanding the social psychological character of communities and of community change as well the role of art in facilitating local action and broader social change. Several examples are considered to illustrate the importance of facilitating critical awareness within disadvantaged communities and the relevance of developing interventions that are contextualised within local people's shared values, concepts and experiences and are supported by broader social processes. Dimensions of community Social action that aims to enhance the quality of life of groups and communities starts with an understanding of how they view the world and are viewed by others as well as a clear grasp of the broader socio-political context within which the community is situated. While change can be promoted through collaborative social action the sustainability of this change requires

Amani Maihoub

A central theme weaving through this paper is the sociality of art objects in an essentially evolving, increasingly dynamic global art world. It examines a number of theoretical trends in anthropology concerning art production, perception, and circulation. Art objects are considered live social beings whose aesthetic value, significance, and emotional efficacy are subject to change in the course of their mobility through time and space. This paper looks at how artworks are incorporated into discourses of empowerment and advocacy, set against the emergence, growth, and intensification of networks of social relations between institutions and individuals, in a particular society and cross-culturally. It is argued that people's engagement with artworks is reinforced by the social parameters of transactional artistic fields of visual representation. Previous knowledge about the meaning and status of an artwork induces particular interpretations and influences the aesthetic experience. Case studies from the colonial Gold Coast and contemporary Ghana discussed here demonstrate that artistic subjectivity is entangled with aesthetic and other culture-specific ideologies within a sensorial sphere of knowledge and experience. This discussion highlights the theoretical implications of a processual relativist view of the performative life of the art object for the anthropological study of art.

Yet Chor Sunshine Wong

Art and community: critical perspectives

Helena Elias , Francesca De Luca

Creative Commons, licence CC BY-4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ _______________________________________________________________ This special issue of the journal Estudo Prévio is the result of presentations, ideas and exchanges that took place during the 2018 conference "Art, Materiality and Representation" organised by the Royal Anthropological Institute in collaboration with the British Museum and the Department of Anthropology at SOAS in London. Though the organising institutions and the venues where historically loaded sites of anthropological legacy, the event attracted researchers, practitioners and activists from a wide range of backgrounds and disciplinary traditions: visual and performing artists, designers, museologists, curators, art historians, architects, urbanists, as well as anthropologists and those locating themselves in transitioning, often undefined domains. It was in this eclectic milieu that, together with the contributors to this issue, we discussed, among other things, the implications of making art with and for communities, and what this entails in terms of practice, ethics, participation and identity politics. Artists have engaged with communities since ancient times in both consensual and conflicting ways. Indeed, art has represented, moulded and reinvented communities through artworks that still puzzle contemporary observers (see Wong on this issue). Conversely, artistic works have been "socialised" in different epochs depending on the specific social, cultural and historical context in which they were situated. That is, forms and strategies of community engagement also depended on what Rànciere defines the "regime of the arts" in which artistic works were produced

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How Art Makes Us More Human: Why Being Creative is So Important in Life

essay about role of art

Art is an important part of life, as it helps us to explore our creativity and express ourselves in unique ways. Art is more than just a form of expression - it’s a way of understanding the world and our place in it. In this blog post, we’ll discuss the psychological, social, and cognitive benefits of creating art and how it can bring joy and purpose to our lives.

What is art?

Art is a form of expression that values creativity and self-expression. It can take many forms, from paintings and sculptures to photography and even digital art. Art has the power to move us, to make us feel something, and to tell stories. Art can be used as a way of connecting with ourselves and with each other, and its power lies in its ability to inspire, create joy, and provoke thought. Art is an expression of the human experience, and its value lies in its ability to bring people together.

The connection between art and emotion

The value of art lies in its ability to evoke emotion. Whether you’re looking at a painting, watching a performance, or listening to music, art allows us to experience a range of emotions from joy to sorrow and everything in between. Art can help us make sense of our own emotions and gain a better understanding of how other people are feeling. It can even bring us closer together as it enables us to feel connected with the artist, even if we have never met them. When we interact with art, it can often spark a dialogue, creating a feeling of understanding and empathy within us.

One way in which art can be especially powerful is when it reflects our personal experiences and values. By connecting with a piece of art that speaks to our values, we can often feel a strong emotional connection with it, enabling us to recognize ourselves in the work and appreciate its beauty and meaning.

The link between art and mental health

Art can be an incredibly powerful tool in helping us to manage our mental health and well-being. Studies have found that art can reduce stress, increase self-esteem, and improve our ability to cope with difficult emotions. Art provides a safe space for us to express our thoughts and feelings, allowing us to connect with ourselves on a deeper level.

One of the main ways that art benefits mental health is through its ability to help us process and make sense of our emotions. Art enables us to externalize our inner struggles, allowing us to make sense of them in a new way. By engaging in creative activities, we can gain insight into our own feelings, giving us the opportunity to recognize patterns and reflect on them in a non-judgmental manner. This can help us to gain a better understanding of our emotions and allow us to find healthier ways of managing them.

Art can also help to decrease symptoms of depression and anxiety. Studies have found that engaging in creative activities such as painting, drawing, or sculpting can reduce symptoms of both depression and anxiety. It also can increase positive moods and overall life satisfaction. In addition, engaging in art can give us a sense of control over our lives, providing us with the opportunity to express ourselves without fear of judgment.

Finally, creating art can provide a sense of purpose and accomplishment, helping us to feel connected to something larger than ourselves. Art gives us a way to channel our energy into something meaningful, allowing us to have a tangible outcome at the end of our creative journey. The act of creation itself can be incredibly empowering, giving us the confidence to take on new challenges and set goals for ourselves.

Overall, engaging in art has been proven to have a positive impact on mental health. Through its ability to help us process emotions, decrease symptoms of depression and anxiety, and provide us with a sense of purpose and accomplishment, art has the power to truly transform our lives.

The benefits of creating art

Creating art can be an immensely rewarding experience that has both psychological and physical benefits. It can provide a sense of purpose, satisfaction, and accomplishment. Art can also help reduce stress, build self-confidence, and improve problem solving skills.

Art can be used to express feelings and emotions, helping to better understand and cope with difficult experiences. It can also be used to relieve anxiety, improve mental health, and enhance positive self-image. Additionally, engaging in creative activities encourages creative thinking, which can foster innovation and creativity in other areas of life.

Creating art can also improve physical well-being. It has been linked to reducing chronic pain and boosting the immune system. It can also help with motor coordination, providing relief for conditions such as carpal tunnel syndrome. Furthermore, it can help with hand-eye coordination, increasing dexterity and making everyday tasks easier.

Finally, creating art is a great way to relax and unwind after a long day. It can provide an outlet for pent-up emotions and help to restore a sense of balance and wellbeing. Even if your work is not immediately appreciated, it’s important to remember that art is subjective and it should be created for yourself, not for the approval of others.

The power of art in storytelling

Storytelling is a powerful tool for communication, and art is an important part of this process. Through art, we can express ourselves in ways that words alone cannot do justice to. Art allows us to show the emotion behind our stories, to add nuance and depth to our tales, and to create visuals that can leave a lasting impression.

Stories told through art have a special power. Whether it's through painting, drawing, sculpture, or even film, art has the potential to bring our stories to life in a way that words simply cannot do. With art, we can bring our characters and stories to life in vivid detail, making them more vivid and alive than if we were to tell the story with just words. We can also add layers of symbolism and meaning to our stories which can make them more meaningful and powerful.

Art has been used as a storytelling device for thousands of years. Ancient cultures used drawings and sculptures to tell their stories, and today, the tradition continues with all forms of visual arts. From street art to museum installations, art is used to tell stories of cultures, histories, beliefs, and emotions. By using art to tell stories, we can move people emotionally and capture their attention in a unique way.

In today's world, where we are bombarded with information from all sides, it can be hard to stand out. Art gives us the chance to do that in a powerful way. By creating art, we can tell stories that resonate with people, inspiring them and showing them something new. The power of storytelling through art is immense and should not be underestimated.

The importance of art in education

Art plays an important role in education, as it encourages creative thinking and provides a platform for students to express their feelings and ideas. It can also be used as a form of communication, allowing students to interpret and create meaning from what they observe. Additionally, the visual representation of art helps children to develop skills such as analyzing information, forming arguments, and making connections.

In the classroom, art can help to introduce new concepts, convey complex topics, and build relationships between students. By incorporating art into lesson plans, teachers are able to engage students in learning and make the material more interesting. Art also helps students to identify patterns and practice critical thinking skills by exploring how elements interact to create a bigger picture.

Furthermore, art allows for students to practice collaboration, problem-solving, and social interaction. Through group projects, students can work together to plan, organize, and execute a project from start to finish. This helps to teach kids essential teamwork skills while also giving them the opportunity to explore their individual strengths and weaknesses.

Overall, art is an integral part of education that helps students develop important skills and encourages creative expression. It is an important tool for teaching and can be used in various ways to make learning more engaging and meaningful.

The role of art in social change

The power of art in creating social change is undeniable. It has been used throughout history as a tool to inspire, educate, and challenge the status quo. Art can be used to bring attention to injustices, advocate for different perspectives, and to create positive cultural shifts.

One example of how art has been used to inspire social change is through protest art. This type of art is often seen at protests and marches, or used to create powerful visuals for political campaigns. Protest art can be anything from signs and banners to sculptures, graffiti, or public installations. It can also take the form of music, film, theater, and literature. By combining art and activism, people are able to communicate their message in an effective way that captures the attention of the public.

Another example of how art can be used to create social change is through digital media platforms such as Instagram and Twitter. These platforms allow anyone with an internet connection to share their creative works and connect with other like-minded individuals. Art has been used on these platforms to raise awareness about important issues, tell stories that inspire change, and even challenge oppressive systems.

Finally, art can be used to help those who are oppressed find strength and resilience. Art provides a platform for those who are marginalized to tell their stories and express their experiences in a safe space. Through art, people are able to connect with each other and find solidarity in the face of adversity.

Art plays an important role in social change and is an invaluable tool for anyone looking to create positive impact in the world. Whether it’s used to create powerful visuals for a protest or to tell stories that inspire action, art has the power to bring people together and spark meaningful conversations about important topics.

Art is essential for all our lives

No matter who you are or where you come from, art plays a vital role in helping us make sense of our lives and the world around us. Art helps us to express our emotions, to communicate our thoughts and feelings, and to explore the depths of our imaginations. By engaging with art, we can discover more about ourselves and the world around us, and cultivate empathy and understanding.

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The Power of Art in Society

The essence of art, art in the society, art and cultural heritage, contemporary problems in arts.

Art can be considered as one of the forms of public consciousness. At the heart of art, lays a creative reflection of reality. Art cognizes and evaluates the world, forms a spiritual shape of people, their feelings and thoughts, their outlook, and awakens their creative abilities. In its essence art is national. The informative role of art makes it close to science, where the artist, as well as the scientist, aspires to make sense of life phenomena, to see in the casual and transient the most typical and characteristic, as well as the pattern in the development of reality.

The deep knowledge of reality, in the long run, is connected with the aspiration to transform it and improve it. The person seizes forces of nature, learns laws of development of society to change the world in compliance with the requirements and the purposes put by the community and the society. Unlike science, art expresses truth, not in abstract notions, but concrete images full of life. The typical in life is embodied in works of art, in unique individually-characteristic forms. In that regard, it can be said that art as an influencing factor plays a major role in society and the life of people.

Accordingly, the art and heritage industry itself had taken different shapes and directions influenced by the consumer nature of the society. In that sense, this paper analyzes art as a power in society, outlining its role and functions, and analyzing the recent issues in art industries.

The aesthetic relationship with reality, contained in all the forms of human activities, could not be ignored as a subject of special reproduction. Such special kind of human activities, in which the aesthetic embodied in the art becomes the content, the method, and the goal is art. In that regard, as an evaluation of the aesthetic effect, art is a process of value finding, rather than a product. (Dague-Barr, 2009)

Tracing the development of theories regarding what represents a work of art, linking art to aesthetics, it can be said that being a work of art is not a physical characteristic, but rather a perception, a perception that previously was considered to be of people belonging to the art world. (Carey, 2006)

In that regard, it can be said that art as a phenomenon is a notion intrinsic to modern society. Art, being born in primeval society, acquired its main characteristics in antiquity, and at the same time, it was not cognized as a special kind of activity. For a certain period, certain activities were considered as arts such as the skills to build houses, navigation skills, good governance, poetry, philosophy, rhetoric, etc. The process of isolating the aesthetic activity, i.e. art in its current perception, began in particular handicrafts, and after that, it was transferred into the sphere of spiritual activity.

Works of art are after-images or replicas of empirical life, since they proffer to the latter what in the outside world is being denied them. In the process, they slough off a repressive, external empirical mode of experiencing the world. Whereas the line separating art from real life should not be fudged, least of all by glorifying the artist, it must be kept in mind that works of art are alive, have a life sui generis. (Adorno et al., 2004)

Art of each epoch is inseparably linked with national culture and historical conditions, with class struggle, and with the level of the spiritual life of the society. Living in a class society, the artist, naturally, acts as the representative of a certain social class. The reflection of the real world, the selection of those or other phenomena of the reality for art reproduction is defined by its social views and is made according to the point of view of certain class ideals and aspirations. In class society, the influence of reactionary ideas leaves traces of limitedness on the creativity of artists.

The artists’ expressions of original interests of classes were seen as expanding artists’ creative outlook and the ability for an aesthetic embodiment in images of art of the advanced aspirations of society as a whole. The art history represents a complex, inconsistent picture of the development of various schools, movements, styles, and currents which are in interaction and struggle.

In their creativity, artists proceed not only from direct impressions, supervision, and observation, but also from the experience which has been accumulated by art through all the history of mankind, from traditions of national movements, leaning on them, and opposing them with the new understanding of the real phenomena.

The progress of art is more strongly and more brightly shown in humanistic and realistic tendencies, along with the gains of each epoch. Realism is an artistic method that is the most corresponding to the informative nature of art. However, the truthful reflection of reality cannot be minimized to copying reality. Realism characterizes aspiration to embody into brightly individual images the typical and the natural in life. The absence of harmonious unity of generalization and the artistic image individualization results in either the sketchiness, which deprives the work of art of persuasiveness, or the depiction of the casual, and small aspects of the reality.

Realism is the art that can be considered as a historical notion. It obtains various contents and forms depending on certain historical conditions of the given epoch, passing several qualitatively unique steps of its development. These steps are defined by changes of the represented subject – new social relations, a new way of life, as well as an embodiment of a new level of social consciousness with the distinction of life representation’s nature.

At early steps of social development, a truthful reflection of an art life is formed spontaneously and mostly dressed in fantastic mythological forms (art of the ancient world and the Middle Ages). Conscious tendency to the cognition of the world, its laws, and realism’s composition as the certain method in art, can be related to the Renaissance epoch when art, as well as science, being released from the captivity of the church’s scholasticism, seizes a truthful display of people’s image, their world outlook, and social relations.

In that regard, it can be considered that the art’s purpose is to reveal in the phenomena of the surrounding life their original essence, visually showing in impressive imagery the most important for the person and a society. One of the main artistic touches can be considered the generalization of an image, it’s standardizing. It allows showing brightly the beautiful in life and uncovers the ugly and the evil. Criticizing the ugly aspects of life, art urges to hate them passionately and to struggle against them. Embodying an ideal of beauty, art inspires deeds for the struggle for the sake of the bright, humane, and good. A major moment of an aesthetic evaluation of the reality is the negative and hostile relation of the artist to all reactionary as ugly, and the evaluation of all progressive as fine.

Art and culture always went to the forefront of society. They laid new paths in social consciousness, created new values, and opened new horizons. When the culture carries out its innovative and educational mission, it becomes a heritage, an experience, and historical memory of the people, and another brick in the building of national identity. In that regard, as art and culture have leading roles in society, they also became a major concern, in terms of their preservation, which can be traced back to France in 1794, where an idea of destroying all Latin inscriptions on monuments came out.

Henry Gregoire, a member of the revolutionary government responded by urging,

a focus on the creator of the art rather than on the patron, to bring the individual to the forefront and to present works of art as examples of the free spirit-genius and talent realized – triumphant over political repression, error and superstition… Because the Pyramids of Egypt had been built by tyranny and for tyranny, ought these monuments of antiquity to be demolished? (Hoffman, 2006)

At earlier times it can be said that art was financed by amateurs. Both rich patrons of art, and the respectable public paid for what was pleasant to them. As a rule, people of creative professions were not rich, if they were not born rich. In the 19th and 20th centuries, the situation began to change, and to a considerable degree, this was related to the accumulation of capital as a result of the industrial revolution, the spreading of education, the development of science, etc.

One after another, museums, theatres and concert halls were opened, which were created and supported by the government or patrons of art, whose numbers have grown, along with the occurrence of an army of professional critics. In the 20th century there were already much more writers, artists, and actors, who could be quite good, and at times very provide themselves. Society began to consider them with more respect, and it could be said that parents were no longer concerned about the fate of the children who decided to be artists.

However, the capitalist model, which purpose was focused on profit and its augmentation, began to change the relation to art gradually. Amateur patrons of art began to be superseded by businessmen and money was invested in what could bring profit. The decisive factor was not the talent of the artist, not the artistic taste of the patron or the public, but the promotion of what was invested in, to receive fast profits. Art and culture became the victims of the process of industrialization which by the end of the 20th century has grasped such spheres which cannot and should not serve profit earning.

Results could be predicted, where the prices increased, the quality was lowered, and the access was limited. Thus, it was the turn of the art to be affected. Today money is invested in arts as in real estate or stock. Especially subjected to market pressure was the fine arts sector, as it is easier to involve market mechanisms when selling. Art became consumer goods and thus should comply with the general mechanism of consumer society actions.

The term art industry might not have become familiar yet, but the techniques of organizational management were spread to it. For is money spent on today? For very rich people it is a diversification of assets portfolio. Those who are of modest means pay for visiting exhibitions, and the ambitious try to be a part of prestigious gatherings.

The occurrence of investors and venture capitalists led to the cultivation of two types of consumers, the elite and the mass consumer. For the latter, who did not go through informational treatment and because of that could not appreciate a certain promoted product, other consumer goods are created which are not demanding intellectual preparation, as elite art, rather than factor related to the psychology of the crowd and appealing not as much to emotions, as to instincts.

An example of such contemporary issues in arts can be seen in the article “Sold!” by Carl Swanson. Published in the October issue of New York Magazine in 2007, the article discussed the sensational resignation of Lisa Dennison from the position of the director of Guggenheim. In her new position, she was engaged in the business development of the auction Sotheby’s. Dennison now helps to replenish the collection of those who have accumulated large sums of money, mostly in Asia and Russia.

Dennison’s new boss Tobias Meyer compares the interests of today’s nouveau riche to the art “icons” of the 20th century, gathered in America, to the robber barons’ fascination with European paintings, and as he stated, “As the Americans were buying Gainsborough’s in 1910, the New Economy is buying portions of bacon and Rothko’s in 2010,”(Swanson, 2007)

Dennison revealed the reason for leaving, stating that museums have ceased to be competitive in the conditions of today’s market, which made her work too difficult, especially after the new CEO of the museum changed its mission, emphasizing the creation and the globalization of the brand of Guggenheim, as an analogy to such brands as McDonald’s and Coca-Cola. It can be seen that Dennison attempted to convince her and others that her work in Sotheby’s differs little from her former job. It can be understood though, that if the former job served higher goals and helped to keep self-respect, in the new role she is deprived of it.

Today at auctions the auctions people applaud not for the artist, but for the buyer who spent a fantastic sum. On the crest of the speculation, the prices are raised for the works of known artists. In such a way, Klimt’s portrait was sold about three years ago for a record sum of $135 million, which in no small measure was related to the international scandal connected with its return by the Austrian government to its owners heiress. (VOGEL, 2006)

In that regard, the recent concerns of art and heritage can be seen to be associated mainly with the legal aspects of art preservation. According to such protection, it can be seen that art is protected as it is related to the national and cultural identity of a particular nation. Thus, art can be considered as a reflection of the cultural heritage and preserving works of arts, nations are preserving their cultural heritage. Through works of art, it can be seen what made a particular epoch the way it was, where the history can be written according to the artistic works of different historical periods.

It can be concluded that art is an inseparable sector of the world’s culture which was and still influencing the course of social consciousness. In that regard, it should be outlined that art is also influenced by the changes in social and economic models, turning art into an industry. It should be mentioned that this industry is a profitable one, but the question that should be asked, whether the power of art can sufficiently resist the economic influence of the market, remaining neutral and free of bias. Whether the cultural value of the works of art remains free of such marketing terms as “promotion” and “hype”. The answer to such a question is not easy, but it can be predicted that it depends totally on the people. As stated earlier in the paper, specific work can be considered a work of art if it was perceived that way by people with expertise in art, while the more modern definition states that “a work of art is anything that anyone has ever considered a work of art.” (Carey, 2006) Thus, it can be said that the answer to the aforementioned questions can lie in the characteristics of the majority that fall into the category of “anyone” in the last definition of a work of art.

ADORNO, T. W., ADORNO, G., TIEDEMANN, R. & HULLOT-KENTOR, R. (2004) Aesthetic theory, London ; New York, Continuum.

CAREY, J. (2006) What good are the arts?, Oxford ; New York, Oxford University Press.

DAGUE-BARR, D. (2009) The Power of Art In Society. Modesto Junior College. Web.

HOFFMAN, B. T. (2006) Art and cultural heritage : law, policy, and practice, Cambridge ; New York, Cambridge University Press.

HOPKINS, D. (2000) After modern art : 1945-2000, Oxford ; New York, Oxford University Press.

SWANSON, C. (2007) Sold! , New York Magazine. Web.

VOGEL, C. (2006) Lauder Pays $135 Million, a Record, for a Klimt Portrait. New York Times. Web.

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essay about role of art

Art’s Role in Society

Definition of art’s role in society.

When we think about art and what it does in our communities, we are looking at how it helps people understand the world and connect with each other. Art is not just about pretty pictures and sounds. It’s a whole range of things from paintings and sculptures to books, music, and dance. It’s like a big mirror reflecting what’s going on in our lives, what we care about, and what challenges we face.

Art has many jobs to do. It can make us happy, teach us things, motivate us, keep track of history, get us thinking, and even help us heal when we’re feeling low. When we look at art or listen to it, it can change our thoughts and feelings. It might introduce exciting new ideas and get us to have important conversations. A really good movie or a strong song can make us think more about topics like love, our lives, or fairness.

Types of Art

  • Visual Art – Includes things you can see, like drawings, paintings, sculptures, and photographs.
  • Performing Art – These are art forms that you watch someone perform, like concerts, plays, dance shows, and movies.
  • Literary Art – These are art forms that involve writing, like poems, stories, and books.

Examples of Art’s Role in Society

  • In election periods, posters and graffiti can share messages about politics and influence people’s opinions.

For instance, during an election, artists may create posters that persuade us to support a certain person or cause. This kind of art can help change the way people think about who to vote for.

  • Big paintings on walls in public places can show what’s important to a community or remember important events from the past.

A mural could celebrate a community’s achievements or remember a significant event, giving people a sense of pride and history about where they live.

  • Songs like “We Are the World” have been used to help people in need by getting attention and money for those causes.

This song, and others like it, bring people together to support those who are facing tough times, showing how art can have a big impact on the world.

  • Plays and movies can bring to light problems like bullying or unfair treatment, making the audience think and perhaps act differently.

A powerful film or play can shine a light on social problems, making us question how we treat others and encouraging us to make the world a nicer place.

Why is Art Important?

Art does a lot for us. It gives us joy, sparks our imagination, and can be a part of making society a better place. It’s not just there to be beautiful or fun. Art opens up discussions, leads to big questions and answers about life, and helps us see from others’ perspectives.

Art also keeps track of what has happened in the past; lots of what we know about history comes from old art forms. In tough times, like wars or big changes, art is how people can share their feelings and hopes. Plus, art has a magical way of helping people deal with sad things, like saying goodbye to someone we love, or feeling better after something bad has happened.

Origin of Art

Art has been around since the first humans. Our ancient family members would draw on the walls of caves, maybe to tell stories or show things they dreamed about. As years went by, every group of people came up with their own kinds of art, and these have changed just as our societies have.

From the old wall paintings in Italy to the beautiful writing in Asia, from traditional dances in Africa to famous music in Europe, art in all kinds of ways has been a big part of what it means to be alive, no matter where you are in the world.

Controversies Surrounding Art

Sometimes art can cause arguments or upset. One person might love a piece of art while someone else doesn’t. Some art can be really bold and might offend some people. These arguments can make us think about what it means to be free to say what we want versus what is okay to say in a community.

Some art looks forward to the future and gets us ready for new ideas, but not everyone might be ready for those changes. Sometimes, art is edgy because it deals with topics that people don’t usually talk about. If art makes some people really upset, it might even be stopped from being shown.

Addition: Art’s Educational Role

Art is also a great way to learn! Many schools have art classes that help students to think creatively and to solve problems. These classes teach us to see the world in different ways, notice patterns, and share our own ideas. Going to museums or reading books helps us learn about different cultures and history too.

Related Topics

  • Art Therapy – This is when people use making art as a way to feel better mentally and emotionally. It helps them express feelings they might not be able to put into words.

By drawing or painting, someone can deal with tough emotions in a safe and helpful way, which is good for their health.

  • Cultural Heritage – This includes the traditions, beliefs, and art that come from our ancestors. It is about preserving and celebrating what makes our communities special and unique.

Art can keep cultural stories and skills alive, which helps us remember where we come from and keep our traditions going.

  • Digital Media – Today, we have new types of art through computers and the internet, like digital painting, movies, and online music.

This modern art keeps changing as technology improves, which opens up new ways for us to create and share art with everyone.

Art lives right at the heart of what it means to be human. It’s tangled up in who we are, how we talk to each other, how we think, and what we all share. Even though people keep talking about what exactly art is and how it affects us all, what’s clear is that art is important. We come across the power of art every single day in ways that make our lives richer and help us make sense of the world we’re part of.

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Art as Activism: The Role of Artists in Addressing Social and Political Issues

Art has long been a powerful tool for expressing and challenging societal norms, sparking conversations, and advocating for change. Artists throughout history have played a significant role in addressing social and political issues, using their creative voices to raise awareness, provoke thought, and inspire action. In this article, we will explore the vital role of artists as activists, discussing how art can serve as a catalyst for social change and contribute to shaping a more inclusive and equitable world.

Giving Voice to the Marginalized: Art has the unique ability to amplify the voices of marginalized communities and bring attention to their struggles. Artists can shed light on issues such as racial injustice, gender inequality, LGBTQ+ rights, environmental degradation, and more. By using their creative talents, artists create powerful imagery and narratives that challenge the status quo, urging society to confront systemic inequalities and seek justice.

Creating Empathy and Building Bridges: Art has the capacity to evoke empathy and foster understanding among individuals from diverse backgrounds. Through their artwork, artists can humanize complex social issues, bridging gaps of misunderstanding and encouraging dialogue. By presenting narratives that resonate with shared human experiences, art has the potential to transcend boundaries and promote unity in the face of social and political divisions.

Challenging the Dominant Narrative: Art challenges the dominant narratives perpetuated by mainstream media and political systems. Artists can use their work to critique oppressive structures, challenge stereotypes, and expose the hidden truths that often go unnoticed. By offering alternative perspectives, art disrupts complacency and encourages critical thinking, inviting viewers to question the status quo and imagine alternative possibilities.

Sparking Conversations and Awareness: Art has the power to ignite conversations and raise public awareness about pressing social and political issues. Artists create visually captivating and thought-provoking works that demand attention, prompting viewers to engage in meaningful discussions. Art exhibitions, public installations, and digital platforms serve as platforms for dialogue, encouraging individuals to reflect on the issues at hand and consider their own roles in creating change.

Inspiring Collective Action: Art has the potential to inspire collective action and mobilize communities toward positive social transformation. Artistic expressions such as protest posters, murals, performances, and public demonstrations serve as rallying points, galvanizing individuals to stand up for their rights and advocate for justice. Artists can actively participate in grassroots movements, working alongside activists and community organizers to effect tangible change.

Cultivating Hope and Resilience: Art offers hope and resilience in the face of adversity. Artists often provide visions of a more just and inclusive society, nurturing optimism and inspiring resilience. Through their work, artists can convey messages of hope, resilience, and the potential for positive change, reminding individuals that their collective actions can create a better future.

Artists have a unique and vital role in addressing social and political issues. Through their creative expressions, they shed light on marginalized voices, challenge the dominant narrative, spark conversations, inspire action, and cultivate hope. By utilizing art as a medium for activism, artists contribute to shaping a more inclusive, equitable, and compassionate world. Let us celebrate and support artists who fearlessly use their talents to advocate for social change, for their work is a testament to the power of art as activism.

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Introduction

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The Most Important Functions of Art

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In art, there are various functions a piece may serve. Generally, these functions, or purposes, fall into three categories: physical, social, and personal.

It's important to note, however, that a function cannot be assigned to art outside its proper context. Art forms exist within specific contexts that must be considered for accurate classification; for example, religious art functions differently than contemporary abstract art.

Additionally, regardless of whether a piece of art is ancient or yet to be created, it serves a purpose—every piece of art exists for a reason, and these reasons constitute its functions.

What Are the Functions of Art?

The functions of art normally fall into three categories: physical, social, and personal. These categories can and often do overlap in any given piece of art. When you're ready to start thinking about these functions, here's how.

How Do You Assign Functions to Art?

Ideally, one can look at a piece of art and guess with some accuracy where it came from and when. This best-case scenario also includes identifying the artist because they are part of the contextual equation. You might wonder, "What was the artist thinking when they created this?" when you see a piece of art. You, the viewer, are the other half of this equation; you might ask yourself how that same piece of art makes you feel as you look at it.

These—in addition to the time period, location of creation, and cultural influences—are all factors you should consider before trying to assign functions to art. Taking anything out of context can lead to misunderstanding art and misinterpreting an artist's intentions, which is never something you want to do.

Physical Functions of Art

The physical functions of art are often the easiest to understand. Works of art that are created to perform some service have physical functions. If you see a Fijian war club, you may assume that however wonderful the craftsmanship may be, it was created to perform the physical function of smashing skulls.

A Japanese raku bowl is a piece of art that performs a physical function in a tea ceremony. Conversely, a fur-covered teacup from the Dada movement has no physical function. Architecture, crafts such as welding and woodworking, interior design, and industrial design are all types of art that serve physical functions.

Social Functions of Art

Art has a social function when it addresses aspects of (collective) life as opposed to one person's point of view or experience. Viewers can often relate in some way to social art and are sometimes even influenced by it.

For example, public art in 1930s Germany had an overwhelming symbolic theme. Did this art exert influence on the German population? Decidedly so, as did political and patriotic posters in Allied countries during the same time. Political art, often designed to deliver a certain message, always carries a social function. The fur-covered Dada teacup, useless for holding tea, carried a social function in that it protested World War I (and nearly everything else in life).

Art that depicts social conditions performs social functions and often this art comes in the form of photography. The Realists figured this out early in the 19th century. American photographer Dorothea Lange (1895–1965) along with many others often took pictures of people in conditions that are difficult to see and think about.

Additionally, satire performs social functions. Spanish painter Francisco Goya (1746–1828) and English portrait artist William Hogarth (1697–1764) both went this route with varying degrees of success at motivating social change with their art. Sometimes the possession of specific pieces of art in a community can elevate that community's status. A stabile (a type of sculpture) by American kinetic artist Alexander Calder (1898–1976), for example, can be a community treasure and point of pride.

Personal Functions of Art

The personal functions of art are often the most difficult to explain. There are many types of personal functions, and these are highly subjective. Personal functions of art are not likely to be the same from person to person.

An artist may create a piece out of a need for self-expression or gratification. They might also or instead want to communicate a thought or point to the viewer. Sometimes an artist is only trying to provide an aesthetic experience, both for self and viewers. A piece might be meant to entertain, provoke thought, or even have no particular effect at all.

The personal function is vague for a reason. From artist to artist and viewer to viewer, one's experience with art is different. Knowing the background and behaviors of an artist helps when interpreting the personal function of their pieces.

Art may also serve the personal function of controlling its viewers, much like social art. It can also perform religious service or acknowledgment. Art has been used to attempt to exert magical control, change the seasons, and even acquire food. Some art brings order and peace, some creates chaos. There is virtually no limit to how art can be used.

Finally, sometimes art is used to maintain a species. This can be seen in rituals of the animal kingdom and humans themselves. Biological functions include fertility symbols (in any culture), but there are many ways humans adorn their bodies with art to be attractive to others and eventually mate.

More Tips to Determine the Function of Art

The functions of art apply not only to the artist who created a piece but to you as the viewer. Your whole experience and understanding of a piece should contribute to the function you assign it, as well as everything you know about its context. Next time you are trying to understand a piece of art, try to remember these four points:

  • Personal functions
  • Social functions
  • Physical functions

Also, remember that some art serves only one function and some all three.

Key Takeaways

  • The functions of art generally fall into three categories: physical, social, and personal. Each serves different purposes depending on context.
  • Assigning a function to a piece of art requires understanding its context, including the time period, location, cultural influences, and the artist's intent.
  • Art can serve multiple functions simultaneously, such as public art's social (and perhaps also personal) function, and an artist's personal expression when creating physically functional art.
  • The 7 Principles of Art and Design
  • Finding Rhythm in the Visual Arts
  • The Element of Space in Artistic Media
  • Ways of Defining Art
  • What is the Definition of Contrast in Art?
  • What Is the Definition of Non-Objective Art?
  • The Life and Art of Mark Rothko
  • What Are the Visual Arts?
  • What Is Balance in Art and Why Does It Matter?
  • The Collage Art of Photomontage
  • The 8 Elements of Composition in Art
  • What Is Tone in Art?
  • Artistic License
  • Performance Art
  • What Is Meant by "Emphasis" in Art?
  • Origins and Schools of Abstract Art

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  • Art And Culture
  • Holly Daffurn
  • September 18, 2020

Times have changed: the evolving role of an artist

about-the-famous-women-painter

The role of an artist

What is the role of an artist? There is no denying that art from a given time in history or a distinct geographical location can offer  insights into a culture that we would otherwise have no knowledge of. But sometimes art tells us more about the artist than the society and culture that surrounds them. At times, art feels like it reflects the very core of humanity. Other times it is purely aesthetic, a luxury, a rare indulgence. Art can portray the rich complex beauty of the natural world, it can also make bold, ugly, raw statements that are unsettling, challenging and far from beautiful.

With all of these vastly different sparks of inspiration, what is the role of an artist? Is the role of an artist who seeks beauty and an aesthetic end result any different than that of one who looks to make a statement of political or intellectual value?

Art has had many different purposes throughout history. How has the role of the modern day artist changed?

The changing role of an artist throughout history

It is clear that artists have many different roles, but no matter what medium they use or style they explore, they all share the same purpose: to create art. Art that is beautiful, art that is political, art that is accessible, art that challenges, art that is expressive, art that is cryptic.

Red ochre, red bison cave paintings

The very basic idea is that artists reflect themselves and their surroundings. This could be factual and realistic or surreal, symbolic and expressive. From the days when cave walls were daubed with rich mud to show animals and primitive people, artists have used their medium to show things to others. You could say that the role of the artists is in part to describe life, but also to shed light on aspects that may otherwise be missed.

essay about role of art

When you consider the work of Albrecht Dürer, you will recall the fine detail and technical accuracy that he exhibited. This sense of realism was common in art until Cubism and the avant-garde movements came into play, bringing with them a fashion for conceptual, stylised and cerebral work. Different art movements have not only caused the style of art to evolve, but have also caused a shift in the role of the artist.

essay about role of art

Anonymous artisans

In the Ancient World , the classical artist was actually a labourer. Painters, sculptors and craftsman were labelled as artisans. They would take over the trade from their father—meaning art professions were not a choice but an inheritance. Artisans practised technical excellence, but there was no formal training and artistic expression was not encouraged.

essay about role of art

In the Middles Ages , artists would learn their skill through the apprenticeship system. Most art was anonymous and was produced by people considered to be craftsmen rather than artists. During this time, the art profession advanced the most. In Medieval Europe, master craftsmen were recognised as honourable and responsible members of society.

essay about role of art

Recognized Renaissance

The Renaissance was the time when artists were recognised for their work, it signified the end to anonymous work. Thanks to Giorgio Vasari and his infamous book The Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors and Architects , artists (especially Florentines) started to gain a bit more recognition and respect. Merchants started to use art to express power and wealth.

During this time, art was seen as an indulgence and a luxury. Poets, philosophers, scholars and mathematicians were held in high regard, they were seen as intellectuals and were much cleaner than artists. Artists were anxious to be given the same level of respect as these revered members of society. They started to include more complex themes within their work, adding details that would not be recognised by the untrained or untutored eye. Platonic ideals, scientific theories and astrological details started to occur in Renaissance artwork, changing the role of the artist significantly and paving the way for art as it is seen today, as a means of expression on an emotional, intellectual and even political level.

essay about role of art

Persuasive art

The Baroque court artist was employed to give a country a sense of persona. It was also used to influence what people wore and how they behaved. In this regard, it was the earliest form of art as marketing. The role of the court artist was one of promotion and advertisement.

By the turn of the 20 th century, society artists were painting highly complimentary portraits that portrayed wealth, beauty and good taste. The artist’s role was to beautify the subject of each painting, making them appear more attractive, thinner, paler and more beautiful. These artists were making society seem more appealing, as well as beautifying individuals in a similar manner as Hollywood and the paparazzi do to this day.

Political and societal change through revolutionary art

When art was made by people who were considered to be artisans, it was very much seen as a job with no room for expression or individuality. Artisans experienced little freedom, and the role was controlled by those in power. When the Renaissance introduced the idea of using art as an expression of independent thought, the first seeds of revolutionary art was shown.

Throughout time, artists have realised that art can play a significant role in shaping history. They have let go of the idea of descriptive art and found a more profound meaning. Revolutionary artists have seen the potential in using art as a form of social progress.

Revolutionary artists such as Diego Rivera and Kathe Kollwitz used their work to literally illustrate revolutionary dogma. Artists such as Goya, Daumier and Munch simply portrayed society in such bleak and disturbing conditions that they made people think about social change. Other artists have been considered revolutionary for their abilities to think outside the box and try new, brave techniques and expressive styles. Their work is not necessarily political or offering social commentary, but it does offer an insight into the times. Artists in this category include Matisse, Manet, Picasso and Cezanne.

role of an artist

Art for art’s sake

Bohemian artists follow a nonconformist lifestyle and abandon structure and convention in favour of art. Bohemians are also enchanted by the discoveries of the Romantics. They believe that emotions are the ultimate truth, there is no distinction between art and life, and they focus on individual expression and the intuition of creativity. Bohemians and Romantics believe in art for art’s sake; art forms the crux of their life, and it’s as important and integral as religion can be for some people.

If revolutionary artists are political radicals, then Bohemian artists are social radicals. They focus on changing how people think, by accessing their emotions. The emotional impact of their art is strong and of great importance. The role of the Bohemian artist also often includes contempt for the middle classes, an element of self-destruction, and a belief that an artist must suffer. The protest against society and conformity often does not take an artistic form, but more of a behavioural one.

The modern-day role of an artist

The modern artist can take on any of those roles, or perhaps even an amalgamation of them all. Many artists have elements of the artisan or society painter in their professional life, producing aesthetic commissions based on the orders of those who pay them. They may also use art to express their own political or emotional landscapes. It is common nowadays for artists to have a number of roles to fulfil different aspects of their lives. Art to make money, art to gain recognition, art to make a statement, art as a form of therapy, art as an emotional release. Nowadays illustrators, graphic designers and industrial designers have taken the place of the artisans of the past.

Perhaps you can recognise several of these roles within your own work. Art can be an escape from reality, used as a chronicle of the times, or be something we all can relate to. It can be a catalyst for change, be instinctive, feed our culture, reflect nature, soothe the soul. It can be an absolute indulgence and luxury, it can be anything you want it to be. The role of an artist is as mercurial as the artists inspiration and ideas, it changes constantly, evolving as the years churn by and adapting with the same frenetic pace as society.

Further reading

  • True blue: a brief history of the colour blue in art
  • Seeing red: a brief history of the colour red in art

Related posts:

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Art and politics have long been intertwined, with artists using their creative expression to engage with political ideas, challenge existing power structures, and catalyze social change. Throughout history, art has played a pivotal role in activism and social movements, serving as a potent medium to communicate ideas, provoke emotions, and ignite public discourse. This essay delves into the complex relationship between art and politics, exploring how art has influenced political landscapes, empowered activism, and propelled social movements forward.

Art as a Tool of Political Critique:

Art has served as a powerful tool for critiquing political systems, ideologies, and leaders. Artists have utilized various mediums such as paintings, sculptures, literature, music, and performance to challenge oppressive regimes, expose corruption, and highlight social injustices. The iconic works of Francisco Goya, whose "The Third of May 1808" depicted the horrors of war and oppression, or George Orwell's dystopian novel "1984," which presented a scathing critique of totalitarianism, exemplify how art can be a potent medium for political dissent and critique.

Art as a Catalyst for Political Change:

Art has the capacity to inspire and mobilize individuals to action, playing a significant role in driving political change. Artistic expressions that resonate with people's emotions and experiences have the power to mobilize communities, fostering a sense of collective identity and shared purpose. For instance, during the civil rights movement in the United States, music became a crucial tool for conveying messages of equality, unity, and resistance, with artists like Bob Dylan, Nina Simone, and Sam Cooke using their songs to galvanize support and solidarity.

Art as a Voice for Marginalized Communities:

Artistic endeavors have historically provided a platform for marginalized communities to voice their experiences, aspirations, and struggles. Through their creations, artists from minority groups have challenged dominant narratives, subverted stereotypes, and raised awareness about the issues they face. The works of Frida Kahlo, who explored themes of gender, identity, and disability in her self-portraits, or the contemporary street art of Banksy, which addresses societal inequalities, amplify the voices of marginalized communities and foster empathy and understanding.

Art as a Means of Cultural Diplomacy:

Art can transcend borders and act as a bridge between different cultures, fostering dialogue, understanding, and diplomatic relations. Cultural exchanges and artistic collaborations can promote intercultural dialogue, challenging prejudices and stereotypes, and building connections between societies. Projects like the global street art movement, where artists from different countries come together to create murals, or international film festivals that showcase diverse perspectives, exemplify how art can transcend political boundaries and promote cross-cultural understanding.

Art as an Agent of Memory and Commemoration:

Artistic expressions have the power to shape collective memory, preserve history, and commemorate pivotal moments in political struggles. Memorials, sculptures, and artworks dedicated to significant events like the Holocaust, apartheid, or civil rights movements serve as enduring reminders of the past and contribute to collective consciousness. They provide spaces for reflection, remembrance, and learning, ensuring that the lessons of the past are not forgotten.

Conclusion:

The relationship between art and politics is a dynamic and multifaceted one, with art serving as a catalyst for political critique, a driving force for change, and a powerful voice for marginalized communities. From visual arts to literature, music, and performance, artists have harnessed the transformative power of creativity to challenge existing power structures, mobilize communities, and shape public discourse. As we navigate complex social and political issues in the present and future, it is essential to recognize and celebrate the integral role that art plays in activism and social movements, providing a medium through which voices are amplified, ideologies are challenged, and progress is made.


Art Essay Examples

Cathy A.

Art Essay Examples to Get You Inspired - Top 10 Samples

Published on: May 4, 2023

Last updated on: Jan 30, 2024

art essay examples

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Are you struggling to come up with ideas for your art essay? Or are you looking for examples to help guide you in the right direction? 

Look no further, as we have got you covered!

In this blog, we provide a range of art writing examples that cover different art forms, time periods, and themes. Whether you're interested in the classics or contemporary art, we have something for everyone. These examples offer insight into how to structure your essay, analyze art pieces, and write compelling arguments.

So, let's explore our collection of art essay examples and take the first step toward becoming a better art writer!

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Good Art Essay Examples

In the following section, we will examine a selection of art essay examples that are inspiring for various academic levels.

College Art Essay Examples

Let’s take a look at college art essay examples below:  

The Intersection of Art and Politics: An Analysis of Picasso's Guernica

The Role of Nature in American Art: A Comparative Study

University Art Essay Examples

University-level art essay assignments often differ in length and complexity. Here are two examples:

Gender and Identity in Contemporary Art: A Comparative Study

Art and Activism: The Role of Street Art in Political Movements

A Level Art Essay Examples

Below are some art paper examples A level. Check out: 

The Use Of Color In Wassily Kandinsky's Composition Viii

The Influence of African Art on Pablo Picasso's Les Demoiselles D'avignon

A Level Fine Art Essay Examples

If you're a student of fine arts, these A-level fine arts examples can serve as inspiration for your own work.

The Use Of Texture In Vincent Van Gogh's Starry Night

Exploring Identity Through Portraiture: A Comparative Study

Art Essay Examples IELTS 

The Impact of Art on Mental Health

The Effects of Technology on Art And Creativity

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AP Art Essay Examples

A Comparison of Neoclassical and Romantic Art

An Examination Of The Effects Of Globalization On Contemporary Art

Types of Art Essay with Examples

Art essays can be categorized into different types. Let's take a brief look at these types with examples:

Art Criticism Essay : A critical essay analyzing and evaluating an artwork, its elements, and its meaning.

The Persistence of Memory" by Salvador Dali: A Critical Analysis

Art History Essay: A comprehensive essay that examines the historical context, development, and significance of an artwork or art movement.

The Renaissance: A Rebirth of Artistic Expression

Exhibition Review: A review of an art exhibition that evaluates the quality and significance of the artwork on display.

A Review of the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Exhibition

Contemporary Art Essay: An essay that explores and analyzes contemporary art and its cultural and social context.

The Intersection of Technology and Art in Contemporary Society

Modern Art Essay: An essay that examines modern art and its significance in the development of modernism.

Cubism and its Influence on Modern Art [insert pdf]

Art Theory Essay: An essay that analyzes and critiques various theories and approaches to art.

Feminist Art Theory: A Critical Analysis of its Impact on Contemporary Art [insert pdf]

Additional Art Essay Example

Let’s take a brief look at some added art essay samples:

Artwork Essay Example

Artist Essay Example

Advanced Higher Art Essay Example

Common Art Essay Prompts

Here are some common art essay topics that you may encounter during your coursework:

  • Describe a piece of artwork that has inspired you.
  • A comparative analysis of Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa and Michelangelo's David.
  • Analyze the cultural significance of a particular art movement.
  • Discuss the relationship between art and politics.
  • Compare and contrast two works of art from different time periods or cultures.
  • The representation of identity in art
  • The Evolution of Artists' Paintings:
  • From Traditional to Contemporary Art
  • The representation of identity in Frida Kahlo's self-portraits.
  • The significance of oil on canvas in the history of art.
  • The significance of the Mona Lisa in the Italian Renaissance

Art Essay Topics IELTS

Here are some art essay topics for IELTS students. Take a look: 

  • The value of art education.
  • The role of museums in preserving art and culture.
  • The impact of globalization on contemporary art.
  • The influence of technology on art and artists.
  • The significance of public art in urban environments.

Tips For Writing a Successful Art Essay

Here are some tips for writing a stand-out art essay:

  • Develop a clear thesis statement that guides your essay: Your thesis statement should clearly and concisely state the main argument of your essay.
  • Conduct thorough research and analysis of the artwork you are writing about : This includes examining the visual elements of the artwork, researching the artist, and considering the historical significance.
  • Use formal and precise language to discuss the artwork: Avoid using colloquial language and instead focus on using formal language to describe the artwork.
  • Include specific examples from the artwork to support your arguments: Use specific details from the artwork to back up your analysis.
  • Avoid personal bias and subjective language: Your essay should be objective and avoid using personal opinions or subjective language.
  • Consider the historical and cultural context of the artwork: Analyze the artwork in the context of the time period and cultural context in which they were created.
  • Edit and proofread your essay carefully before submitting it: Ensure your essay is well-organized, coherent, and free of grammatical errors and typos.
  • Use proper citation format when referencing sources: Follow the appropriate citation style guidelines and give credit to all sources used in your essay.
  • Be concise and focused in your writing: Stick to your main thesis statement and avoid going off-topic or including irrelevant information.
  • Read your essay aloud to ensure clarity and coherence: Reading your essay out loud can help you identify inconsistencies or any other mistakes.

The Bottom Line!

We hope that the art essay examples we've explored have provided you with inspiration for your own essay. Art offers endless possibilities for analysis, and your essay is a chance to showcase your unique opinions.

Use these examples as a guide to craft an essay that reflects your personality while demonstrating your knowledge of the subject.

Short on time? Let CollegeEssay.org help you! All you have to do is to ask our experts, " write college essay for me " and they'll help you secure top grades in college.

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essay about role of art

Home — Essay Samples — Science — Humanities — Role of Art and Humanities Today

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Role of Art and Humanities Today

  • Categories: Art History Humanities

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Words: 421 |

Published: Aug 30, 2022

Words: 421 | Page: 1 | 3 min read

Works Cited

  • Nussbaum, M. C. (2010). Not for profit: Why democracy needs the humanities. Princeton University Press.
  • Sontag, S. (1966). Against interpretation and other essays. Farrar, Straus and Giroux.
  • Barthes, R. (1977). Image, music, text. Hill and Wang.
  • Eagleton, T. (2000). The idea of culture. Wiley-Blackwell.
  • Fry, R. (2010). Why art? Yale University Press.
  • Gadamer, H. G. (2004). Truth and method. Bloomsbury Academic.
  • Elkins, J. (2003). Visual studies: A skeptical introduction. Routledge.
  • Anderson, W. R. (1998). The truth about the truth: De-confusing and re-constructing the postmodern world. TarcherPerigee.
  • Kwon, M. (2004). One place after another: Site-specific art and locational identity. MIT Press.
  • Danto, A. C. (1981). The transfiguration of the commonplace: A philosophy of art. Harvard University Press.

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129 Contemporary Art Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

Inside This Article

Contemporary art is a dynamic and ever-evolving field that encompasses a wide range of mediums, styles, and themes. When it comes to writing an essay on contemporary art, the possibilities are endless. However, with so many options to choose from, it can be overwhelming to select a topic that is both interesting and thought-provoking. To help you get started, we have compiled a list of 129 contemporary art essay topic ideas and examples. Whether you are interested in exploring the political implications of art or delving into the aesthetics of a specific artist, this list is sure to inspire your next essay.

The Role of Contemporary Art in Society

Art as a Form of Activism: Examples and Impact

The Intersection of Politics and Art in the 21st Century

The Influence of Technology on Contemporary Art

The Evolution of Street Art: From Graffiti to Galleries

Cultural Appropriation in Contemporary Art

The Power of Visual Storytelling in Art

The Role of Gender in Contemporary Art

Art and Identity: Exploring the Self in Contemporary Works

The Blurring of Boundaries: Traditional vs. Contemporary Art

The Impact of Globalization on Contemporary Art

Art and Sustainability: Examining Environmental Concerns

The Role of Museums in Shaping Contemporary Art

The Rise of Performance Art: Examples and Analysis

The Influence of Pop Culture on Contemporary Art

Art and Social Media: The Digital Age of Creation

Contemporary Art and the Fashion Industry: Collaborations and Critiques

Art and Mental Health: Expressing Emotions through Creativity

The Concept of Beauty in Contemporary Art

The Evolution of Abstract Art: From Kandinsky to Pollock

Art and Censorship: Exploring Boundaries and Freedom of Expression

The Impact of Colonialism on Contemporary Art

Art and War: Confronting Violence through Visuals

Art and the Human Body: Representation and Identity

The Role of Curators in Shaping Contemporary Art

The Influence of Science and Technology on Artistic Practices

Art and Religion: Expressions of Faith in Contemporary Works

Art and Capitalism: The Commodity of Creativity

The Representation of Race in Contemporary Art

Art and Memory: Exploring Personal and Collective Histories

The Role of Photography in Contemporary Art

Art and Education: The Power of Visual Literacy

The Influence of Surrealism on Contemporary Art

The Impact of the AIDS Crisis on Artistic Practices

Art and Nature: Exploring the Relationship between Humans and the Environment

The Role of Public Art in Urban Spaces

The Influence of Indigenous Cultures on Contemporary Art

Art and Globalization: Crossing Borders and Breaking Barriers

The Representation of Women in Contemporary Art

Art and Architecture: The Intersection of Design and Creativity

The Role of Sound in Contemporary Art

Art and Activism: Creating Change through Visuals

The Influence of Postmodernism on Contemporary Art

The Representation of Sexuality in Contemporary Art

Art and Advertising: The Impact of Consumerism on Creativity

The Role of Collaboration in Contemporary Art

Art and Technology: Exploring the Digital Frontier

The Influence of African Art on Contemporary Practices

Art and the Environment: Addressing Climate Change through Creativity

The Representation of LGBTQ+ Identities in Contemporary Art

The Influence of Asian Art on Contemporary Practices

Art and Colonialism: Reclaiming Narratives through Visuals

The Role of Installation Art in Contemporary Exhibitions

Art and Activism: The Legacy of the Guerrilla Girls

The Influence of Latin American Art on Global Contemporary Practices

Art and the Body: Exploring the Boundaries of Physicality

The Role of Social Media in the Promotion and Consumption of Contemporary Art

Art and Mental Health: Healing through Creativity

The Influence of Indigenous Art on Contemporary Practices

Art and Technology: The Emergence of Virtual and Augmented Realities

The Representation of Disability in Contemporary Art

Art and War: Documenting Conflict through Visuals

The Influence of Middle Eastern Art on Global Contemporary Practices

Art and Migration: Narratives of Identity and Belonging

The Role of Performance Art in Political Activism

Art and Globalization: The Impact of Cultural Exchange

The Influence of Southeast Asian Art on Global Contemporary Practices

Art and the Digital Age: Exploring New Avenues of Creation

The Representation of Indigenous Peoples in Contemporary Art

Art and Social Justice: Addressing Inequality through Creativity

The Influence of African-American Art on Global Contemporary Practices

Art and Urban Renewal: Transforming Cities through Creativity

The Role of Street Art in Political Resistance

Art and Globalization: The Commodification of Culture

The Influence of Australian Aboriginal Art on Global Contemporary Practices

Art and Environmental Activism: Awareness through Creativity

The Representation of Colonial Legacies in Contemporary Art

Art and Cultural Exchange: Celebrating Diversity through Creativity

The Influence of Asian-American Art on Global Contemporary Practices

Art and Public Spaces: The Impact of Site-Specific Installations

The Role of Contemporary Art in Preserving Indigenous Cultures

Art and Intersectionality: Exploring Multiple Identities through Creativity

The Influence of Latinx Art on Global Contemporary Practices

Art and Virtual Reality: Expanding the Boundaries of Perception

The Representation of Gender Fluidity in Contemporary Art

Art and Community Engagement: Creating Connections through Creativity

The Influence of Native American Art on Global Contemporary Practices

Art and Cultural Heritage: Preserving Traditions through Creativity

The Role of Contemporary Art in Confronting Colonial Histories

Art and Artificial Intelligence: The Fusion of Creativity and Technology

The Representation of Body Positivity in Contemporary Art

Art and Social Change: Inspiring Action through Creativity

The Influence of Caribbean Art on Global Contemporary Practices

Art and Sustainability: Promoting Environmental Consciousness through Creativity

The Role of Contemporary Art in Indigenous Rights Movements

Art and the Anthropocene: Addressing the Human Impact on the Environment

The Representation of Mental Health in Contemporary Art

Art and Community Development: Transforming Neighborhoods through Creativity

The Influence of Pacific Islander Art on Global Contemporary Practices

Art and Cultural Diplomacy: Fostering Understanding through Creativity

The Role of Contemporary Art in Redefining National Identity

Art and Technological Advancements: Innovations in Creative Practices

The Representation of Body Modification in Contemporary Art

Art and Social Entrepreneurship: Creating Change through Creative Ventures

The Influence of European Art on Global Contemporary Practices

Art and Aging: Exploring the Beauty and Wisdom of Seniors

The Role of Contemporary Art in Addressing Climate Crisis

Art and Transhumanism: Exploring the Boundaries of Human Enhancement

The Representation of Mental Illness in Contemporary Art

Art and Community Engagement: Empowering Marginalized Voices through Creativity

The Influence of East Asian Art on Global Contemporary Practices

Art and Posthumanism: Reimagining the Future through Creativity

The Role of Contemporary Art in Raising Awareness about Indigenous Rights

Art and Bioart: The Intersection of Biology and Creativity

The Representation of Body Dysmorphia in Contemporary Art

Art and Social Impact: Creating Change through Collaborative Projects

The Influence of South Asian Art on Global Contemporary Practices

Art and Cybernetics: Exploring the Relationship between Humans and Machines

The Role of Contemporary Art in Promoting Gender Equality

Art and Neurodiversity: Expressing Different Perspectives through Creativity

The Representation of Addiction in Contemporary Art

Art and Community Healing: Transforming Trauma through Creativity

The Influence of Indigenous Australian Art on Global Contemporary Practices

Art and Postcolonialism: Decolonizing Narratives through Creativity

The Role of Contemporary Art in Advocating for LGBTQ+ Rights

Art and Robotics: Exploring the Intersection of Technology and Creativity

The Representation of Body Image in Contemporary Art

Art and Mental Well-being: Promoting Self-care through Creativity

The Influence of African Diaspora Art on Global Contemporary Practices

These 129 contemporary art essay topic ideas and examples provide a diverse range of subjects to explore in your next essay. Whether you are interested in examining the social and political implications of art or exploring the aesthetics and techniques of a specific artist, there is something for everyone on this list. Remember to choose a topic that resonates with your own interests and passions, as this will make the writing process more enjoyable and engaging. Happy writing!

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Log in to the harvard art museums, dare to know: prints and drawings in the age of enlightenment.

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essay about role of art

Jacques-Fabien Gautier d’Agoty, “Muscles of the Back,” Plate 14 from “Myologie complette en couleur et grandeur naturelle” (Complete Scientific Study of Muscles in Color and Life-Size), by Joseph Guichard Duverney (Paris: Gautier, 1746). Color mezzotint. Philadelphia Museum of Art, Purchased with the SmithKline Beckman Corporation Fund, 1968, 1968-25-79n, TL42415.2. Image: Courtesy of the Philadelphia Museum of Art; Photo: Joseph Hu.

See how the graphic arts inspired, shaped, and gave immediacy to new ideas in the Enlightenment era, encouraging individuals to follow their own reason when seeking to know more.

What role did drawings and prints play during the Enlightenment era, from roughly 1720 to 1800? Dare to Know explores many nuances of this complex time—when political and cultural revolutions swept across Europe and the Americas, spurring profound shifts in science, philosophy, the arts, social and cultural encounters, and our shared sense of history. Indeed, the Enlightenment itself has been described as a “revolution of the mind.” Novel concepts in every realm of intellectual inquiry were communicated not only through text and speech, but in prints and drawings that gave these ideas a visual, concrete form. They made new things visible—and familiar things visible in powerful new ways. They wielded the potential to visually articulate, reinforce, or contradict beliefs as well as biases, while also arguing for social action and imagining new realities.

In 1784, in response to a journal article asking “What Is Enlightenment?,” German philosopher Immanuel Kant argued that the Enlightenment’s main impulse was to “dare to know!”: to pursue knowledge for oneself, without relying on others to interpret facts and experiences. But is this ever truly possible?

Bringing together 150 prints, drawings, books, and other related objects from Harvard as well as collections in the United States and abroad, this exhibition offers provocative insights into both the achievements and the failures of a period whose complicated legacies reverberate still today. Dare to Know asks new and sometimes uncomfortable questions of the so-called age of reason, inviting visitors to embrace the Enlightenment’s same spirit of inquiry—to investigate, to persuade, and to imagine.

Curated by Elizabeth M. Rudy , Carl A. Weyerhaeuser Curator of Prints, Harvard Art Museums, and Kristel Smentek , Associate Professor of Art History, Massachusetts Institute of Technology. With special thanks to Heather Linton , Curatorial Assistant for Special Exhibitions and Publications, Division of European and American Art, and Christina Taylor , Associate Paper Conservator, Straus Center for Conservation and Technical Studies. Research contributions by Austėja Mackelaitė , Stanley H. Durwood Foundation Curatorial Fellow (2016–18), and by Ph.D. candidates in Harvard’s Department of History of Art and Architecture and former graduate interns in the Division of European and American Art: J. Cabelle Ahn , Thea Goldring , and Sarah Lund .

An illustrated catalogue with 26 thematic essays—an A to Z exploration of the Enlightenment quest for understanding and change—accompanies the exhibition. The publication has been named by New York Times critic Jason Farago as a Best Art Book of 2022 .

This project is supported in part by an award from the National Endowment for the Arts. Support for the exhibition is provided by the Melvin R. Seiden and Janine Luke Fund for Publications and Exhibitions, the Robert M. Light Print Department Fund, the Stanley H. Durwood Foundation Support Fund, the Catalogues and Exhibitions Fund for Pre-Twentieth-Century Art of the Fogg Museum, and the Gladys Krieble Delmas Foundation. The accompanying catalogue was made possible by the Andrew W. Mellon Publication Funds, including the Henry P. McIlhenny Fund. Related programming is supported by the M. Victor Leventritt Lecture Series Endowment Fund.

Share your experience: #DareToKnow #HarvardArtMuseums

Online Resource

Learn more through a series of exploratory videos with the curators and other contributors to the exhibition and accompanying catalogue. View on the museums’ Vimeo channel .

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essay about role of art

Are volcanoes punishment from God? What do a fly and a mulberry have in common? What utopias await in unexplored corners of the earth and beyond? During the Enlightenment, questions like these were brought to life through an astonishing array of prints and drawings, helping shape public opinion and stir political change. Dare to Know overturns common assumptions about the age, using the era’s pr...

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An Essayist Who Revels in Glorious Chaos

In her third essay collection, the poet and critic Elisa Gabbert celebrates literature and life through a voracious engagement with the world.

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This drawing gathers a jumble of distinct images, collage style: a house, a rabbit, a coffee cup, a French horn and more, with several pictures of open books as a unifying element.

By Lily Meyer

Lily Meyer is a writer, critic and translator. Her debut novel, “Short War,” came out in April.

ANY PERSON IS THE ONLY SELF: Essays , by Elisa Gabbert

“Any Person Is the Only Self,” the poet and critic Elisa Gabbert’s third collection of nonfiction, opens with an essay that should be, but isn’t quite, a mission statement. She starts by describing the Denver Public Library’s shelf for recent returns, a miscellaneous display of disconnected works she habitually browsed in the years she lived in Colorado. In part, Gabbert (who is also the Book Review’s poetry columnist) was drawn to the shelf for its “negative hype,” its opposition to the churn of literary publicity. But mainly, she enjoyed playing the odds. “Randomness is interesting,” she writes; “randomness looks beautiful to me.” At the essay’s end, she declares, “I need randomness to be happy.”

So does her prose. When “Any Person Is the Only Self” embraces the random, it’s terrific. When Gabbert neatens or narrows her essays, though, they can feel more dutiful.

“Any Person Is the Only Self” — a seemingly random title, and one to ignore; it’s fussier and vaguer than any of Gabbert’s actual prose — is primarily a collection about reading, akin to Anne Fadiman’s “Ex Libris” or Alejandro Zambra’s “Not to Read.” But it is also a loose meditation on the coronavirus pandemic and its impact on Gabbert’s life. During lockdown, she found herself yearning for the “subconscious energy” she gets “from strangers and from crowds, a complicating energy that produces ideas,” and relying on literature as a replacement. She developed a habit of listening to many hours of author interviews, seeking the social life she couldn’t have in person.

Unsurprisingly, this led to some soul-searching on the subject of writing, which appears in the gloriously scattershot “Somethingness (or, Why Write?).” In this essay, Gabbert is at her best. She strings together more than 30 writers’ reasons for writing, variously testing, mocking, admiring and relating to them. In doing this, she gives readers a kaleidoscopic view of ambition and inspiration, always looking toward the random or inexplicable elements of both. In her own case, she adds, she’s become obsessed with leaving behind a body of work, which, she’s decided, is “seven books, even short, minor books. … When I finish, if I finish, seven books I can retire from writing, or die.”

“Any Person Is the Only Self” is Gabbert’s seventh book, and although nothing about it is morbid, death shadows the text throughout. Of course, reflecting on Covid invites thoughts of mortality, but she also writes about her father-in-law’s passing, Sylvia Plath’s suicide and the recent trend of denouncing books by dead writers, as if it were “poor form to die.” (Gabbert, rightly, judges this both tacky and strange.)

But in literature, Gabbert finds not only life after death — she talks about the “metalife” of writing — but also a reason to live and engage with the world. “Any Person Is the Only Self” seems decidedly unlike the work of somebody who plans to retire from writing. Rather, it feels like an expression of gratitude for both the act of reading in itself and for reading as a route to conversation, a means of socializing, a way to connect.

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    To help you get started, we have compiled a list of 129 contemporary art essay topic ideas and examples. Whether you are interested in exploring the political implications of art or delving into the aesthetics of a specific artist, this list is sure to inspire your next essay. The Role of Contemporary Art in Society. Art as a Form of Activism ...

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  26. Congress's Role in Pardons

    Footnotes Jump to essay-1 71 U.S. 333, 380 (1866); see also Ex parte Grossman, 267 U.S. 87, 120 (1925) (The executive can reprieve or pardon all offenses after their commission, either before trial, during trial or after trial, by individuals, or by classes, conditionally or absolutely, and this without modification or regulation by Congress. Jump to essay-2 80 U.S. 128, 143 (1871).

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    Footnotes Jump to essay-1 U.S. Const. art. II, § 3. Jump to essay-2 Springer v. Government of Philippine Islands, 277 U.S. 189, 202 (1928). Jump to essay-3 United States v. Curtiss-Wright Export Corp., 299 U.S. 304, 319 (1936). Jump to essay-4 See generally ArtII.S1.C1.1 Overview of Executive Vesting Clause. Jump to essay-5 Seila Law LLC v. Consumer Fin. Prot. Bureau, No. 19-7, slip op. at 22 ...