Sound Off: The Importance of Art

Lately artists like Banksy, Kaws, Blu, Mark Jenkins, GRL, Space Invader and Ethos have been getting a lot of attention, whether it’s on TV or online, their non-traditional art has been reached by the masses. From the days when Van Gogh and Picasso were taught in schools, to the current media updates on Banksy’s installations, it’s become apparent that the changing art world has hit the mainstream. But what’s important is that students know what art really is.

What needs to be provided to students is a general understanding of art, to apply it and incorporate it into high schools. Perhaps not a heavy application, but at least a general understanding of some cultural aspects ranging from Baroque period paintings, to the ever-changing art forms of graffiti, music and interpretive art. Cultural references to these art forms help expand creative strength in growing minds. When presented with a new art form, outlet or way of expression, we’re able to find new ways in which we can express ourselves. Equipped with new tools, ideas and out-of-the-box thinking, there’s art being created that could influence the creations of others.

The main intention of art is to get a response, whether a certain piece makes you happy, calm, angry, scared or just plain think, it’s done its job by getting the viewer to pay attention to the piece. If there’s no one interested in viewing the piece, where has the artist gone wrong? Is there a lack of intensity? Or was the overall message too subtle? Or perhaps there’s simply not enough attention directed at it. When a person is exposed to art and taught how to understand it, they become more open to how others interpret thoughts, ideas and beliefs, eventually forming their own thoughts. It’s this openness that allows the person to become a more understanding being in the world, creating less conflict because of a new perspective on how they see things.

Art stimulates the mind in its various forms. Whether it is music, paintings, fashion, photos, literature or any other medium, it has the ability to reach us and connect with us. When we are deprived of any form of art, our personality can become one-sided, and we have less interesting views and takes on things. Lacking creativity can make things in life boring and repetitive, and as far as I can tell, no one enjoys boredom.

The hardest thing about getting students my age to get involved in anything is creating an interest. How do you make someone interested in something that they don’t think is important to them? Like everything else in school, art simply falls in the background, and only those who were predisposed to art really take an interest, just like any other subject. It’s a lot like a friend of mine who’s really good at solving math equations; he claims it’s easy because “there’s only one solution so it always works out” but if you’re like myself and not so good with numbers, then you might not get what he is trying to say. Instead, you might be inclined to work with words, linguistics and writing. English to my friend is like myself with mathematics – it just doesn’t work and vice versa. The attitudes towards subjects like this come from our understanding of our ability.

I finally decided to enroll myself in an art class this school year, hoping it would be an easy class to get credits in. So far, I’m not too disappointed but I have noticed a trend in what entry-level art students say about themselves: “I can’t draw.” Believing you don’t have the ability to do what the standard is, in anything, you’re easily discouraged, and like most people, when you don’t think you can do something very well, the last thing you want to do is just that.

The presumptions about art and what it is needs to be revamped, so that any negative connotations with the word are banished and kids can gain a new found interest in the field.