Saturday, March 8, 2014

A Brief Guide To The Power Of Art

By Jaclyn Hurley


People can be cynical about art. However there is a lot of great artwork out there in the world. Whether it is a hand crafted sculpture or a watercolour there are many ways in which a work of art can have an effect on people. In short it is worth knowing the power of art and how it can affect us in a number of ways.

The fact is that what people describe as art can be very diverse. There are of course the classic masters such as Van Gogh or Renaissance painters such as Michelangelo. These are the pieces that are famous around the world. Some may sell for millions while others are iconic and because of where they are based it is impossible to put a price on them.

For other people he was a key part of the pop culture movement of the sixties. As well as his influence on art he was also very influential in the fields of music, fashion and film as well. Salvador Dali is another excellent example of someone whose surreal artwork was initially criticised but has since become influential in terms of famous surreal imagery.

The best way to describe is that the images seem to loom over you. They almost feel three dimensional, like you could reach up and touch the images. This feeling may or may not be tied to the romantic nature of Rome itself but the history and grandeur of the city may well have an effect on the art as well.

In the sixties this was taken further with artists such as Andy Warhol who used commercial methods in his artwork. The prints and works he created were a reaction to the advertising and consumerism that was happening in the post war era. Ironically his prints have since gone on to be much sought commodities and have often been copied and parodied since.

Another positive aspect of how art can be powerful is in how it can change lives. Art therapy is often used by therapists in order to help people express themselves. Often things that people can have difficulty saying in words can find it a lot to easier to communicate their feelings via art.

Banksy is of course one in a long line of artists using art as a way of making statements. Arguably he is the descendant of the modern art methods of Andy Warhol. His approach was very much about how art had become commercialised and used commercial methods such as print making to create his work.

Ultimately the best way to engage in the debate about what type of art is powerful is to see as much as you can. You do not necessarily have to go to the Louvre or the Sistine Chapel. There are numerous exhibitions and pieces available all over the world. Use your regular search engine for more information and about artists and exhibitions in your local area.




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