When art inspires us, it can cause a sense of hope or instill courage in a society that has suffered through hardship. It can also encourage people to learn about different cultures and traditions that may be fading away in our modern world of digital technology and short attention spans. Art is uniquely positioned to teach the next generation about our history, culture and traditions in a way that can be easily understood and appreciated by young people who otherwise might not have much exposure to them.
Art can help people learn how to cope with life dilemmas and how to treat other people with compassion, respect and empathy. It can also help them become happy, balanced and self-confident in the long run by teaching them how to appreciate beauty, both physical and non-physical, through creative combinations of colors, shapes and brushstrokes.
As humans, we are driven by our emotions and art is a perfect medium for conveying them to the world. Art can evoke emotional reactions in the viewers, such as sadness, joy, anger and fear. It can even make you want to take action and fight for the right thing. In addition, art can be used as a form of therapy. It can help heal a broken heart and give back hope to those who have lost everything.
The idea that art is a separate entity from reality is rooted in human history. The concept of art has evolved and developed throughout the centuries, with each new wave of artists exploring their inner feelings and finding ways to express them in the form of visual representation. As such, each art movement has its own unique aesthetic characteristics.
For example, the art movement Symbolism emerged during the second half of the 19th century and was mostly associated with Catholic European countries that were suffering from industrialisation and loss of traditional values. Symbolists sought to capture the ephemeral nature of reality and turned ordinary objects into symbols that represented certain emotions or ideas.
Another aspect of an artwork that influences its perception is how the artist has organised and framed it to create emphasis and dominance within the composition. How do the artist’s choice of materials, colour palette, line quality and arrangement, scale, balance, harmony and rhythm influence the artwork?
Can you identify the types of linear mark-making that are utilised (thick, thin, long; sketchy, indistinct, fluid, flowing or meandering; ruled, freehand; zigzags) and what effect do these have on the work?
Finally, what type of spatial relationships are used? Is the artwork evocative of a closed-off, self-contained space; does it imply a relationship to a larger environment; or does it open up and reach outwards towards the viewer?