Art is beauty. Great work of art just like the beauty inherent in nature, are a balm for the spirit – a source of vitality. Art essentially calms and soothes us, it never puts us on the defensive nor makes us uncomfortable. It can encourage us when we are run-down, lift our spirits when we are tense.
Sometimes formal instructions in art may seem stuffy and intimidating. But surely no one regards a bird’s song as formal or frightening just as no one feels intimidated by gazing at a meadow of flowers. Who can fail to be captivated by the beauty of cherry blossoms in full bloom in the moonlight? And on a glorious day, we all look up at the blue sky and think “How Wonderful!” The bubbling of a stream delights the ear, refreshing our senses. These are all examples of our intuitive love of beauty.
Art and culture are languages that all people speak that cut across racial, cultural, social, educational, and economic barriers and enhance cultural appreciation and awareness. They provide opportunities for self-expression, bringing the inner world into the outer world of concrete reality. They make it possible to use personal strengths in meaningful ways and act as a bridge that serves the understanding of difficult abstractions.
Many of our daily activities are filled with art and culture. For instance, when we try to look our best or make a dirty room spotless, we are striving to create beauty. A single flower in a vase can completely transform a room, giving it a warm, gentle touch. Such is the power of beauty. Art has been an expression since ancient times, the proof of which can be seen in the form of cave paintings, architecture, murals and such.
Art is the liberation of the humanity inside you. Institutions treat us as parts in a machine. They assign us ranks and place considerable pressure on us to fulfill our defined roles. We need something to help us restore our lost or distorted humanity. Each of us has suppressed feelings that have built up, a voiceless cry in the depths of our souls, waiting for expression. Art, both in practice and appreciation, gives those feelings voice and form.
Letting those feelings out through the pursuit of pleasure may suffice for a while. But in the long run such distractions bring no true satisfaction, because our true selves, our true heart’s desires, have not been set free. Art is a cry of the soul from the depths of one’s being.
When we create or appreciate art, we set free the spirit trapped within. That is why art arouses such joy. Art – whether skillfully executed or not – is the emotion, the pleasure of expressing life as it is. Those who see art are moved by its passion and strength, its intensity and beauty. That is why it is impossible to separate life from art. Political and economic developments may seem to dominate the news, but culture and education are the forces that actually shape an age, since they transform the human heart.
The idea that each person should live earnestly, true to his or her unique individuality – has a lot in common with culture and art. Culture is the flowering of each individual’s true humanity, which is why it transcends national boundaries, time periods and other distinctions. This way we can truly lead a cultured life and serve as an inspiration to others.
Art is centrally the basis of human soul. When words fail to convey the true power of the soul, art takes the front, because, art conveys what words cannot, just as words express what art cannot.
