Art should be non-political. Do you agree or disagree?
Art in the present and recent times communicates varying themes and messages that happen in the society. Artistic features say a lot regarding a society and the cultural values that the society and community subscribe to. Art entails a broad field and products that range from paintings, sculptures, drawings, carvings, music among others that communicates varied information relating to developments in the society. Ideas that relate to philosophical, cultural, social, economic, religious among others have been displayed and re-laid to the audience and viewers through artistic products. There has been increased debate and dialogue among artists and lovers of art work regarding the themes and information that artists should focus on in the art, in the sense that art has the power to impact and change the society positively. Politics in the society has shaped and influenced many other themes and developments in society that has either impacted positively or negatively in the society. Different political ideologies and believes on the other has contributed to the division realized in the society that to some extent it has led to countries and regions braking up and disintegrating. The issue of inclusion of politics in art, therefore, has led to many debates not only between and among artists, but also other people in the society. However, this paper presents the position that art should be non-political as discussed and presented below.
The main essence of art should be a tool that unites people and allow the audience to reflect about nature and different themes that occur in the society. Artistic features mostly from the ancient times reflected on the natural world that displays the beauty that is attributed to nature (Smith & Steinhoff, 2012, 19). It led to many of the artistic products produced in the ancient times to have different objects within the pieces that presented nature. However, with the changing times that were witnessed in art, especially which resulted from modernization it led to many themes and information being displayed by artistic products including political themes and messages. Politics attracts mixed views about managing and running of the society affairs and this has lead to mixed political divide concerning the stand that people take (Berger, 1972, 32). This division from the political side and angle has influenced the art in the sense it has divided the audience as well regarding artistic features that display political messages and themes. Art as a subject should focus on unifying the people especially the audience through displaying themes and information that are non–partisan such as nature, culture and unifying philosophies. Politicians have exploited different human attributes such as religion, race and ethnicity among others as witnessed in many societies to propel their political ambitions (Bishop, 2012, 9). It has led to many societies disintegrating and in some worst scenario it has led to conditions that compromise human rights and peaceful existence in the society. Politics ought to be about ideologies and philosophies regarding different challenges facing the society. Many of the politicians across the world has shifted the focus from constructive political developments and participations and have included the different themes such as religion, culture and race among others in their political strategies that have resulted into destructive developments. The developments have separated and harmed people further. It is one reason as to why art should be non-political.
Artistic products are designed to convey messages and themes to many generations both in the past and the present. Great artistic features and products have to be able to appeal to its audience positively irrespective of the time and era that the piece is displayed (Carrington, 2009, 17). Political ideologies and themes change over time as new ideas are ever evolving. It presents a case where particular idea might be phased out that are political and, therefore, the audience might not associate themselves with the ideas and themes displayed. Some of the ideas and themes might have resulted into worst scenarios and cases that might make the audience of such pieces develop the negative attitude towards art when the changes in political positions occur (Frascina, 1999, 42). For instance, in societies that have witnessed revolutions and political changes, artistic features such as sculptures have been destroyed that may be were of political leadership that existed by then and this has impacted negatively to art as the work of such great artists go into waste. In the event that such sculptures were non-political, they would not be touched and destroyed even when there is a political change in the society and this would make the work that artists have done impact many people and generations (McMaster,1992, 5).
In conclusion, the main reason that make art to be non-political results from the fact that politics divides people especially when used negatively and subjectively as is noted in many parts of the world and this impacts negatively on the field of art as it divides artists and audiences, as well. Peace and unity are the key attributes that artistic products intend to display as noted in the artistic features and products that are non- political that display themes such as cultural and economic messages and environmental. Politicians have to change in their styles of conducting politics and refrain from using human attributes negatively that jeopardize and compromises peace. Instead, they need to learn and copy from the impact that art has to the entire society that fosters and champions for peace and unity. Every individual has a responsibility to play regarding the subject and promotion of art as art among other developments can only thrive in areas that are peaceful and unified.
References
Berger, J. (1972). Ways of Seeing. British Broadcasting Corporation and Penguin Books. London: Penguin Group. Available at: http://www.us.penguingroup.com/nf/Book/BookDisplay/0,,9780140135152,00.html?Ways_of_Seeing_John_Berger
Bishop, C. (2012). Artificial hells: Participatory art and the politics of spectatorship. London: Verso Books.
Carrington, V. (2009). I write, therefore I am: texts in the city. Visual Communication. 409-425.Available at: http://vcj.sagepub.com/content/8/4/409.short?rss=1&ssource=mfc
Frascina, F. (1999). Art, politics, and dissent: Aspects of the art left in sixties America. Manchester: Manchester University Press.
McMaster, G. (1992). Museums and Galleries as Sites for Artistic Intervention. Places& Spaces for Visual Studies. 250-261. University of Amstredam. Avaiabale at: http://dare.uva.nl/document/472808
Smith, T. B., & Steinhoff, J. B. (2012). Art as politics in late medieval and renaissance Siena.University of Wisconsin. Available at: http://search.library.wisc.edu/catalog/citation?id=ocn768480341
