Why We Make Art?
Here’s the answer to your question in one line, “Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life.”
None other than the most revered painters of the modern world enunciated these lines, Pablo Picasso. But, an artist’s way of thinking is distinct and unique from those who are not so inclined towards the many wonderful spheres of art.
We make art for many reasons. There must be millions of artists on the planet Earth, and all of them might have a different reason for making art or doing what they do. In this article, we are going to explore the story behind the story. Why a painter paints, why a singer sings, why an actor acts, why a sculptor sculpts.
Art is Beautiful
Throughout time, artists have been sculpting, painting, making jewelry, working with ceramics, etc. One of the prime reasons is that art makes everything look beautiful. Not only the object itself, but its surroundings also light up with a unique ambiance. It is like one art piece that radiates its beauty, turning other things too, beautiful. Just like the concept of philosopher’s stone. Vincent van Gogh’s Cafe Terrace at Night is an idealistic example of this.
Expressing Ideas and Communicating
Sharing your ideas and belief with the audience at large with art is one of the most effective ways to do so. Artists write poems, monologues, make movies, paintings, sculptures to express their ideas.
Some people dance, rap, and even perform an act. All of these are modes of communication. It is said that the “soul of the artist cannot remain hidden,” Henri J.M Nouwen. So, all the artists make art to express what they feel deep inside their soul in the hope of sharing an idea and expressing emotion.
To Inspire or Provoke an Action
Not only visual content like painting and movies, but any form of art can inspire the spectators to take action. When humans feel untouched by anything happening around them, a beautifully executed art jostles them from the core and forces them to start thinking.
Many artists have taken this road to inspire and provoke action in others. “Art helps us identify with one another and expands our notion of us — from the local to the global.” Artists have their way of saying things. They might not even use words, but their actions can inspire others. However, to be inspired by art, we first need to understand the artist.
These are the three major pillars of making art. Moving on, we will look into some individual perspectives of making art and see how they fit into these categories.
Gina Gibney
Gina started her dance company to choreograph pieces that will become the strength of men and women. Plus, her aim is to reshape the lives of those communities whose voices need to be heard.
So, Gina wants to ‘Inspire and Express’ her ideas of different communities through her choreographed works of dance. Gina believes that human life is fragmented by our thoughts and feelings. Creating art is akin to bringing all these threads together to make oneself whole again.
To Gina, creating art is a self-empowering and a cohesive process. Similar to Picasso, Gina also includes her life’s instances in her artwork. If you follow her work from the inception to the present day, it is like a journal where every artwork reflects herself and thoughts at a particular point in time.
Harrell Fletcher
Modern artist Harrell Fletcher believes that anything anyone calls art is art. For him making art is not about expression, love, emotion, beauty, or anything like that. Harrell Fletcher is an artist because he wants to live an interesting life.
So, the reason he makes is not to inspire action in others, but to inspire himself from the people he meets, places he visits, and experiences he has had from this journey.
Kwame Dawes
Kwame Dawes’s notion of creating art or writing poems, novels, and books is to gain some control in a world riddled with chaos. He wants to share his views via his writing and inspire others to comprehend how he sees the world.
Dawes is looking to bring back or provoke the feelings of empathy in the readers. The writer is inspired by the writing of others and empathizes with their perspectives. He wants the world to share a similar opinion as he has for this world.
James Sturm
The famous cartoonist has never stopped at a single reason for making art. For James, there is a new adventure to live every day, a new perspective to share, a new way to cope with life’s events.
James’ artworks are an expression of his high-minded impulse that drives him to pick up the pencil and start making art. Yet, James’ artworks have inspired millions to at least think differently. And the beauty of his works is that they are not limited to a single emotion.
If his cartoon depicts the misogyny of an event today, the next day, he will cherish his inner narcissistic views, because that is what he is driven towards.
“As my artist’s statement explains, my work is utterly incomprehensible and is therefore full of deep significance.” Calvin and Hobbes
The Bottom Line
We make art because we love its beauty, we make art to inspire others, we make art to share what we feel, and we make art to want the people to face reality. Art is one of the greatest things to happen to humankind. There is an artist in each one of us, “Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up.” beautifully said by Picasso.
However, recreating art is also a blessing in disguise. If you are looking to get some inspiration or hang a thought-provoking art piece from history get in touch with 1st Art Gallery. One of the largest made-to-order art reproducers can offer a fantastic quality of the artwork with precision and apt delivery.
