Saturday, March 15, 2014

An Introduction To The Power Of Art

By Jaclyn Hurley


When people hear the word art they have a different idea of what that constitutes. For some this means grand landscapes and stunning pictures of the sea or city skylines. For others it can mean something with a powerful image or a message included in the piece. Whatever the piece what is true is that the power of art is something that usually affects people at some point.

Of course it is debatable what people define as art and what people believe to be powerful. For example a lot of people may be derisive about the works of Andy Warhol. They may feel that the creator of pop art who famously declared that one day everyone would be famous for fifteen minutes was in fact more of a marketing creation than he was an artist.

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.

In some cases the power of a work of art can come from its impact on popular culture. For example images from comic books have become symbols in and of themselves. A person can wear the image of a superhero on their T shirt without necessarily being a fan of that comic book.

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 way in which art can be powerful is in how it can change lives. It is often a way for people who would ordinarily have trouble expressing themselves finding ways to communicate their feelings through the artwork. It is often used as a method of therapy especially when people may be shy and resistant to more orthodox methods of therapy.

Of course the individual reaction to a piece can vary. A powerful reaction can equally be one of anger. However this is positive as a mixture of reactions is what creates debate and is what makes the nature of art and the discussion of artwork so fascinating.

The good thing about the internet is that it is now easier to share art with people around the world. Whether you make your own pieces or you want to share your favourite works with other people there are lots of ways to learn more about the diverse styles of artwork available around the world. It is also worth checking to see what exhibitions and pieces are available in your local area.




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