Why Art?
Western American culture as we know it is filled with contradictions when it comes to subject of “the arts.” On a superficial level, there may be simply a spectrum of societal artistic value in our lives – from the bourgeois, high art to what we refer to as pop culture. I think that much of the debate about art can be diluted to two contrasting questions; first, what constitutes art? And second, why is art important?
As a musician and a music educator, this is a matter which is constantly evaluated, and yet, I still don’t have a good answer. I know from personal experience that music has helped me think critically, develop discipline, and act/react with sensitivity, but research-backed proof that music makes me smarter is something that just doesn’t exist. And so, if there is no way to PROVE that music improves the mind, how do we defend its place in society and school and our everyday lives?
Dissanayake’s fascinating approach, “art for life’s sake,” is both refreshing and absolutely thrilling. She says “there is valid and intrinsic association between what humans have always found to be important, and certain ways – called the arts – that they have found to manifest, reinforce, and grasp this importance.” (Dissanayake, 26) Essentially, she argues that art is a way for humans not only to express their humanity, but also a way to describe or help figure out who we are as people or as a part of a community.
History places art in the central role in ritual, ceremony, or unstable times. Art adds so much to situations such as these because “via art, experience is heightened, elevated, made more memorable and significant.” (Dissanayake, 25)
The fabulous part about her claims and theories is that though art helps to bring common ground between people, it does not necessitate low-quality or meaningless art. In fact, in order to affect people, art MUST be high quality. It must be high quality in order to appeal, which as we’ve observed, also has evolutionary indications as well.
According theorist Denis Dutton (with the help of Darwin, of course), “we find beauty in something done well.” And beauty is what brings us together. Beauty gives us something to contemplate, a reason to think critically and a reason to be human.
Do these observations and truths advocate for the arts? Yes, of course. Will they be enough to keep them in our nation’s schools? I hope so.