For as long as man has walked upon the Earth, the power of art has always been utilized as a tool. Some could even say that it has been used as an alternative way to communicate. If you take very early man into account then this might not sound quite so fanciful.
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.
Most people will be familiar with the maxim, "A picture can paint a thousand words", it never mentions which language these words are meant to be in. So it could be argued that it is a truly universal language. For a long while now art has been used to deliver or emphasize a message. As such it didn't take religions long to start taking advantage of this, consequently for a long time art and religion went 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.
The awareness about the power of art has been about for a long time. This is possibly why, in times of conflict, governments and military units establish propaganda units. These can be used to sway public opinion and attitude, or even to increase the public's sense of national identity. Both sets of protagonists will try to convince their own public that their cause is justified.
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.
For a modern look at the the ways in which art posses power, you need look no further than any magazine. Any page that depicts a photograph for the use of advertising can be thought of as art. Even though a camera has been used rather than brush, paints and canvas, it is no different. A photograph will still have had to have been composed and set, to portray an effective message.
So throughout history, art has been utilized as a powerful instrument. Some may feel that it has been used for either good or bad purposes. It has left society with glimpses about how the world used to be, and with that it is possible to see how it has changed. When you consider that this is just the artist's, and his sponsor's, viewpoint, then maybe the power of art is still being used.
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.
Most people will be familiar with the maxim, "A picture can paint a thousand words", it never mentions which language these words are meant to be in. So it could be argued that it is a truly universal language. For a long while now art has been used to deliver or emphasize a message. As such it didn't take religions long to start taking advantage of this, consequently for a long time art and religion went 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.
The awareness about the power of art has been about for a long time. This is possibly why, in times of conflict, governments and military units establish propaganda units. These can be used to sway public opinion and attitude, or even to increase the public's sense of national identity. Both sets of protagonists will try to convince their own public that their cause is justified.
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.
For a modern look at the the ways in which art posses power, you need look no further than any magazine. Any page that depicts a photograph for the use of advertising can be thought of as art. Even though a camera has been used rather than brush, paints and canvas, it is no different. A photograph will still have had to have been composed and set, to portray an effective message.
So throughout history, art has been utilized as a powerful instrument. Some may feel that it has been used for either good or bad purposes. It has left society with glimpses about how the world used to be, and with that it is possible to see how it has changed. When you consider that this is just the artist's, and his sponsor's, viewpoint, then maybe the power of art is still being used.
No comments:
Post a Comment