"As long as people in a society are hungry or out of work or lack the basic skills needed to survive, the use of public resources to support the arts is inappropriate——and, perhaps, even cruel——when one considers all the potential uses of such money."
Although I understand that the mercy that the speaker shows to the people experiencing starvation and unemployment, by asserting that the government should spend more money on the jobless and hungry people rather than squandering money on arts, I have to stand out that it is unwise to exclude art from using of public resources by just considering the starvation and survival problems faced by a minority of people.
Admittedly, eliminating poverty is definitely deemed to be one of the ambitious missions of our society in a long run for we are not merciless humankind to witness so many people struggling with the housing problem and starvation. However, if a country ties up all its capital in solving starvation and unemployment problems and has little incentive to invest in art industry, with considering art as unnecessary luxuries, I would rather put it under the label of a refugee camp instead of a country. Every country has its own traditional culture. The essence of traditional art is to illustrate the national culture to the people all over the world in its unique artistic way. Why do we human beings distinct from other creatures in the world? We will never be satisfied with only enough food and safe shelter but starve for art which illuminates our life in the darkness and frustration. It is we humans who have a heart opens and seeks for arts forever. We know how to appreciate art and we deserve this. Take Van Gogh as an example, he would rather quiet his stomach with painting than go out and find something to eat. He couldn’t live without his painting while he endured hungriness. Therefore we should be determined to foster the development of art for the majority in the society is waiting to enjoy life in ideological field aside from satisfied life necessities. We feel more fulfilled when we get something to communicate with our heart. We hear the echo of our heart.
In the second place, is art really a kind of luxury and money consuming? Are the antique buyers billionaires who just interested in the antique itself? Actually not, in most of cases, it is the huge profit that drives many smart investors to heed on the antiques and cautiously pour their money in the realm of antique collectibles.
Rhys Southan’s essay “Is Art a Waste of Time?” is about art and if it can really help people who are suffering or is it just better to hand over your money. In Yo-Yo Ma’s essay “necessary Edges: Arts, Empathy, and Education” he focuses more on art being used as educational purposes to essentially create more innovative/empathetic people. Instead of focusing so much on STEM, the author states that we should incorporate art too. Although some people might say art does not play a role in making the world a better place. I believe it can by bringing awareness to different social issues. Also, if we incorporate art at a young age it can teach kids to be open minded and happier people.
In other words, Singer believes that unless you can find something wrong with the following argument, you will have to drastically change your lifestyle and how you spend your money. Although some people might believe that his conclusion is too radical, Singer insists that it is the logical result of his argument. In sum, his view is that all affluent people should give much more to famine relief. While I agree with Singer’s argument in principle, I have a problem with his conclusion. In my view, the conclusion that Singer espouses is underdeveloped.
Singer presents his argument specifically in terms of famine relief and, although it has broader applicability, the discussion mostly falls under this specific topic. Thus, he conforms his argument around aspects relevant to famine and/or poverty when laying out his three core premises.
Singer, Peter. “Famine, Affluence, and Morality.” Current Issues and Enduring Questions. 8th ed. Eds. Sylvan Barnet and Hugo Bedau. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2008. 7-15. Print.
When we hear the word “Art” certain images come to mind. We think of great masterpieces of epic battles, and cathedral walls depicting angels and demons. This however, is a very small part of the art of the world. One form of artwork has been seen in every civilization, on every continent; Folk art. Folk art at its root is art including paintings, textiles, furniture, and carvings done by a country's indigenous people. These pieces are often functional, and serve a purpose on top of being aesthetically pleasing.The techniques used by these people are often passed down generation to generation, and originate in the community itself. This means most of the artisans do not have any formal training in their craft. Many took apprenticeships, or learned from watching village elders.
Many people who read such statement wonder about our obligation towards famine relief, and ask, whether we are morally obliged to spend one dollar in order to prevent such a crisis or not. Forty years ago, Peter Singer answered this question in his article
Everyone knows what the word poverty means. It means poor, unable to buy the necessities to survive in today's world. We do not realize how easy it is for a person to fall into poverty: A lost job, a sudden illness, a death in the family or the endless cycle of being born into poverty and not knowing how to overcome it. There are so many children in poverty and a family's structure can effect the outcome. Most of the people who are at the poverty level need some type of help to overcome the obstacles. There are mane issues that deal with poverty and many things that can be done to stop it.
In modern market, there are not much commodities could worth more than art masterpieces, millions and millions of dollars flows in the art buying and selling market everyday. If the artist name is right, works can fetch sums that truly blow our mind. To figure out this strange and scandalous affair between art and money, we have to date back at least 600 years. There was a far more shocking collision between market forces and masterpieces in the Renaissance Florence. Almost all of the most splendid and exquisite art were created in the service of the rich and ruthless Medici family. There is no denies that the Medici had turned Florence in to one of the most beautiful cities in the world with their money. The Medici could be regarded as the very first collectors of great modern art, with their complicated emotions involved, such as their guilt, ambition of authority, and sexual lust. In the end, the Medici did not just collect paintings and sculptures; they had changed the very nature of art itself and even unleashed a monster that they could not control. In terms of religion, politics and persona, European art had changed their form and purpose over the influence of the Medici family.
Art leads itself away from truth by being thrice removed from the truth, providing immoral guidelines and suggestions for individuals and depicting the God’s in a negative light. These implications can have a disastrous effect on society and lead to the moral injustice of an ideal state if such art is introduced into the state. In contrast, there exists art that may be allowed into the ideal state if such art teaches and positively affects the moral compass of citizens and leads to rational thought and suggestions. Lastly, art can only lead to a just society if it leads to exponential rational processes in an individual’s soul and must be kept out of the ideal state if the art imitates or attempts to only affect the emotional side of an individual’s
Consider how art is interwoven into one’s life. Homes are decorated with it, people study it, artist make it everyday, But how does art contribute to sustainability? According to The World Bank sustainability is defined as a requirement of our generation to manage the resource base such that the average quality of life that we ensure ourselves can potentially be shared by all future generations. ... “Development is sustainable if it involves a non-decreasing average quality of life” (Asheim). The United Nations Millennium Declaration identified principles of sustainable development as economic development, social development and environmental protection it continued using these three domains: economics, environment and social sustainability
@“Arts education opens doors that help children pass from school in to the world around them – a world of work, culture, intellectual activity, and human involvement. The future of our nation depends on providing our children with a complete education that includes the arts.” –Gerald Ford, former President of the United States of America
In today’s society anything can be considered “Art”. From the great sounds of a symphony, to the architecture of a modern structure, or even an elephant painting with its trunk, art is what the viewer perceives it to be. Individuals will always agree or disagree with the message behind a certain piece of art, as pieces can be offensive to some, but beautiful to others. Some argue that funding the arts in school is a waste of money, time, or a combination of both, but the benefits outweigh the negatives by far, due to a variety of reasons.
In society, art is very important. It is one of the best ways to express yourself. Art provides enjoyment to the society. Art helps provide a better quality of life for many people by making their lives better.
"Why Arts Education Is Crucial, and Who's Doing It Best." Edutopia. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 May 2014.
Vito Acconci quoted, “If you want change, you must be prepared to think differently. The function of public art is to de-design”.