Thursday, August 30, 2012

The Meaning Behind The Power Of Art

By Crystal Salazar


Art has been a powerful tool ever since mankind has walked upon this earth. Initially it would appear to have been used as a means of communication. The power of art does seem quite a logical standpoint to make if you think back to the times of early man.

Those early hunter gatherer tribes were thought to be mainly nomadic, no one can say for certain if there was speech or not. It is possible to say that they would need to communicate certain things between themselves, things such as where to find fresh drinking water, or areas rich in game. It is also possible to infer that the cave paintings helped fulfill this need. With art not being tied to a specific language it is quite easy to see that this could have been possible.

There are many people who will be familiar with the old adage "A picture paints a thousand words", and this seems to bear out the theory that art is a universal language. Art, as a medium, has been used to impart, or enforce, messages for a very long time. Art was seen as an ideal medium for spreading the word about religion to the masses. As a consequence art and religion are often seen as being hand in hand.

At that time the population were largely illiterate, and any education that they had did come verbally. The various religious teachings would often be emphasized by works of art held in large churches and cathedrals. Over time these depictions came to be accepted as the normal image associated with a particular religious teaching.

People have been aware about the powerful message that art can convey for a long time now. This might be why art is often used by propaganda units during times of conflict, as it can be used to depict a biased view of events. It can also be used to raise the public's sense of national identity and awareness. No matter which side you view things from they will both try to depict that they are on the side of the just compared to their enemy.

The public's point of view can be successfully manipulated to take a different standpoint to what it would normally take. For example, prior to WWII there were very few women in heavy industry, but following a successful poster campaign this changed. The parameters about this social aspect were redrawn, largely thanks to the medium of art.

Even today art is still being used to great effect against the public. Just pick up any magazine and find a picture that is being used to market a product or brand. Even though it is an advertisement it can also be considered as art, despite a camera being used and not brushes and paints.

The power of art has always been used in various ways. Some would say for both good and bad, depending upon their viewpoint. Thanks to art people get to see glimpses of society as it used to be, and how it has evolved. Although they should be aware that these images are the interpretations of the artist, and their sponsors, so the power to shape minds is still there.




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