This post is a combined response to a couple of questions initially posed on Quora and written in their full format as, “As an artist, how would you answer this question? What is art for?” and “What is the importance of art in our society?”
Canadian poet Irving Layton described artists as canaries in coal mines because they are the barometers for society, which compels us to expand our perceptions by confronting often harsh truths.
Art changes how we understand the world by reflecting reality back to us within directed contexts to focus our attention on aspects of life presented in often unfamiliar and/or uncomfortable ways.
Art enriches our lives and reminds us of our humanity while connecting us through the artist’s work.
“What is the importance of art in our society?”
To adequately address this rather direct but general question, some context is needed to frame an answer which fully encompasses its implications.
There are three general perspectives upon which to address this question.
From an individual’s perspective
The importance of art in an individual’s life is a broadening of perspective and a deepening of insight into… well, literally everything about the human condition. From an observer’s perspective, art connects us on a visceral level. Whether it be music that moves us, a few well-chosen words, or an awe-inspiring spectacle, the experience is a validation of belonging to something greater.
From an artist’s perspective, it’s the cheapest therapy form.
Cumulatively, society benefits from the positive contributions resulting from affirmative expressions of community life within larger societies.
From a community’s perspective
Art brings attention to issues often overlooked, misunderstood, misrepresented, or misapprehended in ways which provide unmatched clarity in creating understanding. Art can mobilize a community and motivate social change, contributing to stability within larger societies.
From a society’s perspective
Art reflects the most profound truths about life, the human condition, and society in general.
Art provokes social introspection and defines boundaries while providing clarity on issues.
Art provides the public with psychologically supportive outlets of expression that contribute to overall social stability.
Artistic activity provides a healthy return on investment to every level of an economy.
Artistic history provides us with deep insights into our evolution as a species, and it is an activity that also provides insights into our future, like every other discipline of discovery.
“Art interprets the visible world. Physics charts its unseen workings. The two realms seem completely opposed. But consider that both strive to reveal truths for which there are no words — with physicists using the language of mathematics and artists using visual images.”
Art and Physics, Parallel Visions in Space, Time and Light — Leonard Shlain
Art & Physics | by Leonard Shlain
“Leonard Shlain proposes that the visionary artist is the first culture member to see the world in a new way. Then, nearly simultaneously, a revolutionary physicist discovers a new way to think about the world. Escorting the reader through the classical, medieval, Renaissance and modern eras, Shlain shows how the artists’ images create a compelling fit when superimposed on the physicists’ concepts.”
thotbag 