What is ART?

POST-TRAUMATIC GROWTH: Improving one’s sense of wellbeing using art, creative writing, photography and blogging – my journey written by ©Karen Robinson. Please click here for my latest blog news!

What is ART? Well for me, it is a means of being able to communicate with myself and with others, emotions, feelings and thoughts. It is a voice that can reach into our hearts and souls; it can reach out across oceans. Art can convey powerful messages, points of view, challenge our beliefs and attitudes; and it can change the way we think. It can take us back in time and also it can transport us into the future. Art can invite us into unknown magical worlds of others and it can, at times be like a ‘slap in the face’ by being troubling and confronting.

TAC “Picture This” Exhibition 2010 at Geelong Gallery, Victoria – Australia. Featuring Painting No. 45B “The Death of Our Son Ben” by Abstract Artist: Karen Robinson (as photographed)
NB: All images are protected by copyright laws!

Art takes us on a journey and then returns us back to where we came from but on our return we are a little richer for the experience; whether a viewer of art or an artist. This is what art is for me. Please find here in this video below titled “Using art for therapy” – myself talking about my own art for therapy journey.

When I firstly watched this other video following below “what is ART”, I was so impressed by the freshness of these artists’ take on what art is! Each of their statements resonated with my own personal experience of what art has been and has become for me. It was not until I got to delving into the details of the video further that I realized that these participants of said, are actually theatre artists and not painters. I was surprised that what they had to say about “what is art?” from their perspective, as theatre artists, rang just as true for me, as an abstract painter; so much so that I felt it was a good summation to share!

These are their words about “what is ART?”….

“art is an agent of change”; “anything that highlights life”; “they know it’s an art form when it has a story – when it speaks to them”; “art is an expression of the soul”; “the product of the reaction to something you love”; “and passion”; “and anything in-between”; “it’s the highest form of language”; “it’s got to be honest”; “a vehicle for expressing your thoughts, your emotions”; “we can’t keep it, we need to share it”; “if it’s not shared – it’s just a work of a crazy person”; “for me art is important because it makes you think”; “I like the idea of creating something out of nothing”; “think about how to improve your own life and the lives of others”; “to have something in the world that exists that affects people”; “it is what allows us to feel”; “without it we are nothing more than robots”; “just rocks”; “if you don’t have art – you merely exist”; “art draws out the humanity”; “art elevates existence into something else”; “we are able to inspire and move people into action”; “it’s your way of sharing and giving back to the people”; “without art life would be boring”; “everyone should have some sense of creativity in their lives”; “it is not beautiful without art”; “if you have a point of view your are an artist”; “an artist is someone who sees things that no one else sees”; “with the mindset of moving the society forward”; “anyone could be an artist as long as you are honest”; “courageous”; “art makes you sensitive to things around you”; “to allow growth in our lives”; “a reflection of the beliefs and the desires”; “it pushes me to improve everyday”; “makes me appreciate all the little things”; and “art is everything”.

This video campaign, as shown below, is produced by Mayk Juat, Jake Macapagal, Pam Imperial and directed by Mayk Juat and the Cinematography by Nix Lanas. They state that it “aims to take a closer look on how the arts can be applicable to our lives” and is “expressed by those who live, breathe and LOVE it – the Filipino Artists” (What is ART – maARTe ako, 11 Jul 2011).

Spoken by Theatre Artists:- Robbie Guevara Actor/Director; Ana Abad Santos Actress; Carlos Canlas Actor/Singer; Stephanie Reese Actress/Singer; Joel Trinidad Actor/Playwright; Reuben Uy Theatre Actor; Bea Garcia Actress; Casisa Borromeo Actress; Jake Macapagal Actor; Jenny Jamora I’m a Human Being; Topper Fabregas Ma ART e ako; Pam Imperial Ma ART e ako; Raul Montesa Ma ART e ako; Astarte Abraham Ma ART e ako; Teresa Herrera Ma ART e ako; Kakki Teodoro Ma ART e ako; and JM Rodriguez.

Reference:
Juat. M., Macapagal. J., Imperial. P. (2011, July 11). What is ART? – maARTe ako. YouTube. Retrieved May 18, 2014 from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TjuV7SA6fj4