Art has a strong relationship with the world and the things around us. It ranges from the designs of our mobile phones to the way people perceive things in life.
The Arts and entertainment aids art in its growth. Art making, amidst music, literature, and many others, is only a portion of the arts. It is with the growth of the arts in a society, and then only can the different art forms emerge and be known. There would be a need for museums and galleries for the arts and art will also be able to prosper with it. In terms of the arts art works are a strong factor in helping people understand ideologies hidden in the arts and their own lives. This understanding of the arts can heal people spiritually. A deeper understanding of life through art can make the world a more soulful place. Art also has impacts on the entertainment industry such as the dressing of the performers to the design of the stages. These simple details have impacts on viewers as they follow and instill those similar artistic elements into their own lives. If it gets big scale, it could mean the revolution of design of the world.
Business, science, technology also requires art to achieve success. The phrase, 'A picture tells a million words.' is very true as it is evident that visuals are extremely important in letting others understand ones point of view. The imagery shown or aesthetics of a presentation could mean clinching a business deal. As for science and technology, art helps in relaxing and exploring fantasies when one gets too overwhelmed by the rigid and dry scientific theories. They give us a fixed explanation to life and do not allow imagination while art on the other hand is able to. Creations of technology also consist of the design factor which enhances our aesthetic lives. What's more design can even lead to easier usage of these devices.
Communication and media would be the savior of art I feel. As the world is still not completely connected to art sharing and criticism, it is the media that will help make the connection. Forms of media and communication such as the radio and television are able to help promote art be it to have documentaries about art made, or to air advertisements of art shows. These tools are vital as they can reach far and wide to spread the word about art to the world. Media publications such as prints also require design and visuals on them to capture the reader’s attention and this can influence people when they do things like decoration or design.
There is a downhill trend in the connection of the world with the Disadvantaged and marginalized. Although there are the warm hearted, charity and social work doers, not all of us are like that. In fact only a small portion of people are. We may donate money yes, because our friends do so but how many really understand the problems of the disadvantaged? I have to admit I didn’t know and cared much about the problems in the developing countries until I saw and got to understand the works of Dede Eri Supria which often showcased the alienation of the poor in the rural slums. It was then I realized such problems also existed in countries which I thought were steadily developed. Thus art is able to bring fourth such problems and let the world know more about the problems of the marginalized, with the hope to close up the gaps in various countries and to pull the world closer together.
Art also plays a huge role in the school and Education system. It allows students to perceive ideas from imagery and in the process, lets them understand life better. Art lessons impart basic skills such as drawing and painting to every individual, and allow students to make full use of their creativity and even apply it in other academic subjects. For the younger students, art lessons are often a time to relax and let their imagination run wild. As for more advanced art students like me, it is when we can express our thoughts through visual works and understand each others’ views. Art schools all over the world also source out prospective art students, equip them with skills in many mediums so as to create the visual masters of tomorrow who will have huge impacts on the world. People can also learn about old masters of art and their ideologies, and apply them to our daily lives and the future.
Art at home within the Family also let people share views, just which this time it is done with people closer to each other. We may not be able to share or talk about art much in a big society but the family being the most basic group allows us to do so. Art is still not too big an issue in many of our lives but if it becomes a tradition such that the parent shares about art with the children, then it will become more common for people to be exposed to art.
The Government makes use of art to develop countries too. Every government would want its country to prosper and be beautiful just like in Singapore. Art and design is also required when it comes to promoting themselves through things like pamphlets. It can be vital to the selection of leaders as visuals would give people a better understanding.
And that is your ABCDEFG on the relationship of art and the world.
It feels like a H3.
Sunday, January 17, 2010
5:00 PM
Right. So the "vandalism” of SingPost mailboxes which happened not too long ago kicked up quite a hype for a while. What many people thought was a vandalism act turned out to be a publicity stunt by SingPost. They’re one of the sponsors of the upcoming Youth Olympic Games and have decided make use of their mailboxes to showcase the YOG’s theme, Express Yourself.
There were tons of stakeholders in this case I’d say. In fact anyone who has heard and debated about it is. People who first saw it rung up the cops, cops got down to the scene, created commotions, I’d definitely say it cost lots of resources and manpower. They could’ve been on other cases if they knew that Inkman was hired. The public also ranted all over the net, saying that Inkman should end up in jail soon, get his spray cans ready to do more graffiti on the prison walls, and so on, only to end up tongue tied only after SingPost reveals that they hired Inkman. Inkman and SingPost themselves are stakeholders themselves too, having to come out to apologize for all the trouble.
Well I’d agree that all that is art. It’s about expressing ourselves with visuals to get the human mind to ponder and realize things, so SingPost hit the nail on the head by getting Inkman to express himself with the graffiti in line with the YOG theme. The only problem is that art is also about getting the message and idea across to the viewers and that, right there did not happen. It was all completely misunderstood. Viewers were supposed to understand about expressing oneself but their narrow mindedness and the weak relationship between art and society had caused the breakdown. Our lack of exposure to art had resulted in this episode of wasting resources and that Singpost had overestimated Singaporeans’ abilities to accept such forms of publicity.
This is a print campaign for a season of Prison Break in Toronto sometime back and I doubt the reactions were as negative even if there were.
And ditto these by Julian Beever. It’s a whole floor she worked on but it’s beautiful.
Just look at their reactions!
And so here’s my stand: SingPost did fine with most of the necessary precautions they could’ve taken, and that it was the miscommunication amongst the police. It was mentioned in the straits times that the police had told SingPost that they didn’t need to apply for a license as the mailboxes belonged to them. What’s more, a list of timings and locations were given to the police about the stunts. Why didn’t the police realize the need for precautions? There could’ve been a simple notice to inform police around Singapore so that those who turned up at the locations of the reports could explain and clear things up. Well SingPost wasn’t entirely faultless. They could’ve put up posters even on the vandalized mailboxes to state its purpose. If these are done, then it’s up to whether Singaporeans are that and intolerant to simply call it vandalism despite notices if there were.
Some may even believe that this will spark actual vandalism, using the same reasons as excuses. Are we so distrusting of each other to think this way? Well I guess we have to. There are the troublemakers who will do it and all we can do is to get the right mindset though to everyone. It is graffiti, it is art, it is expressing oneself, it has got to have a purpose, and it has a limit so do it right under the safe and reasonable situations.
To end off, I'd say Inkman did a pretty decent job with the graffiti.
Saturday, January 9, 2010
6:54 PM
I always thought Chua Mia Tee was a female.
Now I know he's not.
Sunday, October 25, 2009
6:51 PM
Labyrinth
Dede Eri Supria
Labyrinth IV
Dede Eri Supria
Labyrinth
Ng Wei Jiang
:D
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
9:17 PM
Just to share.
I finally got to snap some decent photos of my latest painting.
Third painting on canvas, biggest one yet.
Pretty satisfied for a first time at this scale.
here's my write-up:
Title: Lens- The Escape
Medium: Acrylic on Canvas
Dimensions: 101cm x 76cm
About my work:
The dried fish represents myself who is a dry and boring character. The letter boxes represent a trapped space just like jail cells. It is the boring life I used to live. Then there are the cameras which represent my hobby of photography. It has become my way of bringing some fun into my life and my means of escaping the dull life I used to live. In summary, I( the dried fish) am escaping from a boring life through my hobby(the cameras).
The full painting:
Photoshopped draft. you'd notice i elliminated quite a few details. :P
and just some more close ups:
and yup. thats about it.
