The Power of Art
Where do I start with art? Is it a masterpiece painted by Vincent Van Gough gaining global accolades or strokes of paint on my t-shirt painted by my five-year-old niece? Is it the aesthetic appeal of Sufi poetry mesmerizing masses or the few random lines I often scribble at the back of my notebook? Is it the magic of words by J.K Rowling bringing imagination to life or the lullabies my mother sang to me as a child? Thoughts like these often cross one’s mind while attempting to pin down art into boundaries of definitions in an attempt to inquire about its power.
“Art is not a mirror to hold up to society, but a hammer with which to shape it.”
- Leon Trotsky
A great many thinkers, philosophers, and scholars have often deemed art as a weapon. A weapon so capable that it has the power to revolutionize societies. Some call it a tool of social transformation, while others a medium to repair obsolete structures of collective consciousness, and maybe it is. As a former student of liberal arts, I have been blessed with enough opportunities to study a great many global revolutions, examining the role of art in these at close quarters. Art, most certainly, did change the course of human history while serving as a medium to record it at the same time. This dual function of art multiplies its powers immensely.
“Art is the stored honey of the human soul.”
- Theodore Dreiser
The art once created to inspire a historical change is invoked time and again to spark life to discourses and revolutions in contemporary times. The power of art, thus, might also lie in its ability to sustain through time. This ability of art to sustain itself over time might also make one think about how art has a sense of universality attached to it.
“Art is a universal language through it each nation makes its unique contribution to mankind”
- Dwight D. Eisenhower
It crosses geographic, economic, and socio-political frameworks and can be interpreted by anyone and everyone. Its power, hence, definitely lies in its reachability.
There sure has to be a reason that art generates this reach. The ease with which it can be interpreted might be one.
“An intellectual says a simple thing in a hard way. An artist says a hard thing in a simple way.”
- Charles Bukowski
The simplicity with which an artwork carries the intended message (or multiple messages many a time) enhances its power exponentially.
Art might have the power to change the world but is that it? Does this mean that the splashes of paint on my t-shirt by my niece are not art and not powerful? Just because the lines at the back of my notebook are not intended to mesmerize the world, are they not powerful? Since my mother’s lullabies could not last the blows of time, are they not powerful? The reason why it’s impossible to pin down art is that it exhibits its powers through all these means and more. They are no less of art; I guess this is what makes art the most powerful.
Art in Warfare
Power is often displayed when there is warfare all around. Those with control over resources and the ability to react to adversities are often considered powerful. So, where does art fit, in this chaos?
The survival of war is never easy. To come out unscathed is a dream we will never live. What happens during war, however, changes a person’s perception of who they used to be, to who they have become.
In times like this, what better way than to express yourself through art?
It sounds like a great idea until restrictions are placed even on the simplest actions, perhaps from the fear of stirring a rebellion, death, etc.
What happens when restrictions fall in the artist’s favour? Given the permission to paint anything that inspired them out of their circumstances, how far would artists let themselves go? Would such circumstances taint the art? Corrupt the significance of the pursuit of being an artist? Or would it simply invigorate and bloom passion among artists to fight for what brings them purpose in life?
At the beginning of the American Civil War, the call for artists to record the history of a nation is a call-out to warn our predecessors of the onslaught and sheer agony of war. In the scenario that war does break out, despite the warnings, art plays a hand in deciding whether to pursue absolute destruction to gain temporary power, or take a step back and introspect on the aftermath of declaring war.
Despite the overwhelming feeling of anger and helplessness one often experiences due to the relentless waging of war, more artists are born from this pain and anguish. Does this indicate that we need war to create artists? That we need pain and the inevitability of conflict for the birth of art?
Artists, in war, often paint from the perspective of the Ruler or the Superior nation, which often translates to propaganda art.
‘The Trench,’ by Otto Dix, paints quite a horrifying image and could possibly cause nightmares to anyone introduced to the concept of war. Perhaps it is this raw power exhibited in art, that pushed the idea of art being used as propaganda.
It’s a simple process to disassociate with the human race when the reality for someone else doesn’t directly affect you. Pioneered by Charles Bell, the movement of portraying the realities of art on canvas was an effective way to break that barrier reminding people of the brutality of war.
After the realization of a tragedy, there comes a turning point where the people choose whether to continue making the same mistakes or understand the consequences of their actions and perhaps, turn a new leaf. Such a change was seen in the 19th-century artwork of Joseph Noel Paton. Unbeknownst to him, Paton became the source of what most literary scholars call the ‘myth of war.’ It was commonplace to have young, ambitious men go out into the world, perhaps to become a soldier, but come back scarred from war swearing to give up their previous world views in favour of the jarring hopelessness and agony. These men gave rise to the archetypical character of the ‘hero’ in both theatre and literature. He who gets lost in his path from being ambitious, loyal and honourable, sets out on a treacherous journey that ought to change everything he has ever known. And, return with a different version of himself based on what he has seen and experienced on his arduous journey.
No matter the individual involved in the intricacies of war, invariably, war affects everyone involved. Barring temporary glory and pride, war art suggests how we, as a civilization, have dealt with our shortcomings throughout history. Choosing to be apolitical is a choice reserved for those who sit on their high horses of privilege and remain blissfully ignorant.
Art has always been political and will remain so. In the 21st century, people are privy to psychological warfare which means that art is, but a tool for the oppressed to fight back for everything they have endured and to fight for the change that we deserve.
Art as a Sign of Protest in Modern Times
Art is a medium where an artist showcases the world to people across societies breaking down societal barriers. It evolves from natural sceneries to face or body sketches and paintings. Like any other medium such as photography and films, it is also a way to expose the bitter truths of our society to people across the world.
Today it is quite commonplace to see injustice, discrimination, and the domination of power holders over a large number of people in a society. Thus, we witness an array of protests, rebellions and movements all over the world and there we see, paintings on a placard, street art, and digital art, among others, as tools for supporting a movement.
Here are some incidents where art has been used as a powerful medium of protest:
George Floyd and Black Lives Matter Movement:
The movement was started after the murder of George Floyd by the Minneapolis officers. It not only spread across the United States but also around the globe. In this movement, we see artists showing their involvement through their art. Some artists show the conflicts between the police authority and the protestors in their paintings. This plays a massive role in spreading the message and bringing justice for racial torture and violence.
Climate Change Movements:
Climate change has been a prominent issue for the last few decades. The last UN General Assembly was all about climate change action. Greta Thunberg a teenager had come out with this protest. Many people around the globe have raised their voices with Greta too. Protests and rallies were going on about this global phenomenon. Numerous contemporary artists played significant roles in this global movement.
Syrian Civil War:
It was during the period of President Bashar al-Assad’s reign that people of all ages came out of their colleges and universities to join the protest. In February 2011 a group of boys did anti-regime graffiti outside of their school’s wall in Daraa. There was a flow of posters and graffiti in the streets of Damascus. Several artists were arrested at that time, and several were tortured but the regime could not stop their art.
Art is a way of getting closer to our goals when in times of protest. People get involved in arts and the revolution gets bigger and bigger with the involvement of the artists. That is why we have been seeing many artists getting arrested and tortured for their work, but their art remains and the struggle for justice never stops.
Above all, art continues to remain fundamental in today’s protests across the globe. Come to think of it, can there ever be a revolution without art?
