Art matters
For many years I have been trying to seek an answer to a difficult question: “What is the true value of art and culture in society?”And, I don't mean “value” in financial terms, even though in today's world anything that does not yield an economic return is deemed to be worthless. In any case, quantifying the benefits of art can be challenging and problematic. How can one attach a price tag to a song, poem, painting or novel whose impact is transformative to the human spirit?
We may debate the degree of influence that art wields in our lives. But most of us will agree that art is not just a means of pleasure or entertainment, it is much more. It is a creative expression that results in a spiritual connection between the artist and the audience. In that sense, art impacts our emotional instincts and often leaves us in an altered state of consciousness.
For a moment, let's imagine a society without the civilising influence of the arts. If we erase the collective memory of all the books we have read, the music we have heard, the plays and cinemas we have watched, the paintings we have admired, we will be left with a mind bereft of beauty, intellectual conversation and an identity. Besides, studies have conclusively demonstrated that art has a therapeutic effect on our physical and mental wellbeing. I am certain that many of you have experienced that uplifting feeling while listening to a Tagore or Nazrul rendition, or reading a Robert Frost poem, or admiring a Van Gogh painting!
Art has also proved to be a powerful tool for creating a more harmonious and inclusive society. The importance of this aspect can hardly be overstated at a time when communities are losing their integrative function, under the pressure of modern living. Over time, art has played a critical role in fighting political repression and challenging vested interests. Music performances and protest songs were a major contributor to Ukraine's Orange Revolution, Georgia's Rose Revolution and Czechoslovakia's Velvet Revolution. We Bangladeshis are familiar with the power of art in unifying and inspiring the population during our struggle for freedom in 1971. The patriotic numbers aired in Shadhin Bangla Betar invigorated people to continue their fight against the oppressive Pakistani regime, while our singing troupes instilled hope among the refugees living in miserable conditions in camps.
The pervasive influence of art should not surprise us since art is not just the manifestation of some mysterious idea or an external phenomenon. It is essentially an expression of what the artist experiences in the environment he lives in. There is clearly a symbiotic relationship between art and society. Just as social and political conditions influence artistic expression, art impacts society by stirring human consciousness. For example, the destruction of lives due to the bombing of helpless civilians in the Basque region of Spain resulted in the creation of Picasso's Guernica. On the other hand, this powerful mural has been a symbol of protest for the many oppressed men and women fighting against injustices and tyrannies around the globe.
Today, a serious controversy has arisen about the growing exclusivity of art. Critics argue that access of masses to artistic performances, theatre, and even art galleries is restricted by affordability considerations. There is considerable merit in this criticism, although it's a not a new phenomenon. Art has always been controlled by the rich and powerful for reasons of financial, political and social gains rather than for mere aesthetics. Kings and emperors built monuments and patronised artists as a demonstration of their power and popularity, and sometimes to satisfy their egos. Wealthy and influential families sponsored works of art to compete against each other and also to enhance their social status. For instance, the most renowned art patrons of the Renaissance period, the Medicis of Florence, were bankers by profession. They used their wealth to reshape their public image from merchants to art lovers and humanists.
In modern times rich collectors and corporate buyers are using art to build “cultural capital.” Times may have changed but the motives remain the same. It is, therefore, all the more important that public institutions and philanthropic organisations support art events for the common folk. The benefits of public involvement in the arts far outstrip the costs of promoting cultural activities.
Whatever tangible or intangible value we assign to art, there is no doubt about its positive effect on social and human development. Imagine how devoid of beauty, imagination and enjoyment our lives would be, if we were deprived of the human touch of music, poetry, paintings, sculptures, theaters and movies. We might be in danger of becoming what Oscar Wilde described as a cynic: “A man who knows the price of everything, and the value of nothing.”
The writer is a renowned Rabindra Sangeet exponent and a former employee of the World Bank. E-mail: [email protected]
Comments