I tried to imagine a world without art.
A world without music, paintings, poetry, prose, films, or even artistic architecture. I was caught up in my mind, struggling to envision such a world. Finally, I decided that such a world could not exist. The very fabric of our human nature is woven with our need to create. As someone who studies human behavior and the brain, I can say confidently that the evolved skills we used to build civilization and grow into what we are today is directly linked with the processes we use to make art.
We are curious, inventive, resourceful, expressive, passionate, and clever. These traits enabled us to evolve beyond the usual hunter-gatherer into more complex, social, world-altering creatures. Our most ancient ancestors did not have the tools that other hunters did. We do not have the claws of the tiger, or power of the bear, or even the speed of a hawk. We had to survive by adapting skills. Our abilities to make tools, spark a fire, and find resources as a group paved the way for our brains to become master artists.
Other animal species create as well. The same skill set is within us and we use it to make ornate, beautiful structures that touch the sky, to fashion telescopes to peer into the starry unknown, and write pages upon pages about abstract concepts. We are artists by nature. To take away our art would be to discourage the wonderful natural abilities we have to make amazing things.
The unfortunate side of our gift is the destruction we leave in our wake. Thanks to globalization we are slowly becoming aware of our impact on the Earth. Hopefully the future will see us making wiser choices when it comes to the footprint we leave behind.
Outside of obvious environmental issues, there is the concern of downplaying and even cutting out artistic programs from education. Students in many schools are not even learning to appreciate art. I'm worried about the long term effects of absent art programs.
I attended two very different high schools. One had art, music, and even film study classes. The other school only had a band program, which was limited and starving for funds. Students were using instruments with duct tape on them. It broke my heart. Fellow classmates tried to help by starting a creative club, wherein they encouraged and supported one another. It did not last outside of them graduating. These students wanted and needed something that the education system decided was not important.
We teach what we are taught.
If we taught that art isn't important, then we grow up believing it.
I do not want to know a world without art.