How can art change the world and help to save the humanity?

David Dollard, Word Smith and Phrase Juggler

One question that raises three more.  What is art?  Can it help save humanity? Is humanity worth saving?

My answers come from personal experience and observation, readings (books), and other information gathering methods that don’t involve the Internet or Google.  Yet, without the Internet, it is unlikely you would be reading this, as I hope you are. 

But, in researching a recent article about beauty being in the eye of the beholder, the phrase on one website attributed it to Plato.  Finding accurate, reliable information is an art form.  Journalists in general, need at least two attributable sources, often more depending on the depth and scope of the story.

The answer to the latter question is the easiest.  An emphatic yes!   As a member of humanity, I am a very big fan of us humans – flaws and virtues included.

What is art is very subjective.  If viewed by moneys earned, except for two paintings sold to his brother Theo, Vincent Van Gogh was a dismal failure. His works now sell in the ten of millions of dollars, but in his time, he failed. So, that can’t be the sole touchstone for art’s value or what art is.  Volunteering to teach someone your art is self-less, but extremely self-nourishing.  What was once called sharing.  I’ve read in previous responses that art is writing, painting, performing, sculpting – “refined” skills.  What about tradespeople?

If you have ever seen the gardens at Alhambra, plumbing is certainly an art form.  The pyramids certainly display the stone mason’s art and skill.  As much as writers get writer’s block, I’m sure stone sculptors, even Michelangelo, got sculptor’s block (pun, partially intended).

Art reflects life, that’s got to be it.  Or Art is love, or to Love is an art. Or, or . . . .  Art allows us to peer into our souls and briefly into the artist’s whether painter, dancer, welder, or plumber.  Art even at it’s worst, inspires debate, dialogue.  That’s it!  Art, whatever its form, is about communication. With visual art no language or communication barrier exists, instant translators are not needed.  Art evokes emotions – good and bad.  Aside from food, we humans feed off those emotions.  That, to me, is how art helps to save humanity.  We’re reminded that we’re only human, which is as good a starting point as possible.  We can always strive to do better.  Art is just one of many ways we can.