The Necessity of Art for Humans: Positive Influence

The Origin and Evolution of Art

In all history, you can see that art has existed; it is even believed that art was the first form of communication and writing. You can see art in caves and on rocks usually dating to prehistoric times.

Art as a Timeless Form of Communication

As time went on, forms of communication grew to different languages and alphabets; however, one form of communication never disappeared, and that was art. When we look at art, we see many genres, which shows the evolution of art throughout time. There were many languages that died, like Mayan, that we are now trying to decode.

Art as a Record of Human History

Art has been with humanity, recording many events and people in history, from the first hunts in prehistoric times to Victorian hunting with horses and dogs. Let's look at the Enlightenment age (1685-1815), where European government, philosophy, science, and communications were drastically changed during the 18th century as part of a movement known as the Age of Reason, or simply the Enlightenment.

William Blake: Art as a Spiritual Counterpoint

Artists like William Blake (November 28, 1757/August 12, 1827), who lived during the Enlightenment period in late 18th-century England, created works that were a powerful counterpoint to Enlightenment rationalism; he aimed to redevelop mankind spiritually. One of his notable works, "The Ancient of Days," was completed in 1794 and now exists at the British Museum in London as one of only 13 copies worldwide. Each piece is unique because Blake painted them by hand. He stated that this piece represents the creator of the universe, whom he renamed Urizen, one of the spiritual visions he claimed to have experienced, which began when he was only four years old (Gilchrist, 1863).

The Impact of Art on Human Emotion and Thought

With its exciting colors of rust and gold and the crowning touch of blue, "The Ancient of Days" conveys feelings of spirituality and divinity. You can see a man, whom Blake called Urizen, squatted down in what looks like a heavenly circle, which could also be interpreted as the sun, its light partially covered by clouds. His left arm holds a pair of compasses, reaching down with them, seemingly measuring the darkness that surrounds him. William Blake successfully conveyed the feelings of spirituality through the use of colors and composition and reason through the use of the compasses. This feeling and message that he wanted to convey to the audience have persisted since 1794. This piece has been so influential that many artists have copied it since 1974, as noted in Gilchrist's "Life of William Blake" (Gilchrist, 1863).

The Influence of Art on Society and Individual Thought

"The Ancient of Days" gives a clear message through defined shapes and figures, which could possibly shape the audience's way of thinking and behavior. However, shaping one's way of thinking is not always seen as positive, as suggested by the philosopher Plato. He had an interesting view on the arts; he had a love-hate relationship with them. As a young man, he studied painting, showing that he paid close attention to what he saw and heard. However, he wanted music and paintings strictly censored. The arts, he thought, are influential shapers of personality. To train and protect ideal citizens for an ideal society, the arts must be firmly controlled (Plato, trans. 1968).

Art and Emotional Response

Emotional responses to artwork are very common. Humans respond to colors and shapes and can find underlying meanings they want and connect with them. It’s significant to understand the mental effects colors might have on a typical person. Warm colors, which are next to each other on the wheel, regularly evoke feelings of happiness, positivity, and energy. For example, the color red can take on a variety of meanings, associated with passion, aggressiveness, love, anger, and danger, but the unifying factor is a sense of importance. Cool colors are usually comforting and gentle but can also express sadness. For example, blue induces feelings of calmness, spirituality, security, and trust. This color causes the human body and mind to calm down and relax. Light blues give a more relaxing, friendly feeling. It is no surprise that it’s the most favored of colors. Dark blues are great for company enterprises because they help convey a professional feeling to the target audience, but using too much can create a cold, disconnected feeling as well (Eiseman, 2000).

The Cognitive and Psychological Benefits of Art

Art can often be taken for granted; however, it can also lead to us becoming much healthier and experiencing increased brain activity. The biggest benefits come from actually producing art in any way possible. In a case study by the University of Westminster, two groups of seniors were analyzed. One group was provided with lessons from an art educator and tasked with creating pieces that displayed their personal artistic expression. The other group participated in a discussion class about specific sculptures and paintings. Before and after each process, each group had their brains scanned, and the group that created art was found to have the best neural benefits (Cohen et al., 2006).

Art as a Therapeutic Activity

Even creating art by itself, without paying attention to colors or having any preparatory classes, has mental benefits. Activities like painting, sculpting, drawing, and photography are relaxing and satisfying hobbies that can lower anxiety levels and leave you feeling mentally clear and calm. Creating art provides a distraction, giving your brain a break from your usual thoughts. When you get entirely absorbed in a creative work, you may find yourself in what you might call "the zone" or "flow." This meditative state focuses your attention and temporarily pushes aside all your doubts and anxiety.

Art as a Tool for Mental and Emotional Growth

Leonardo da Vinci said, “Painting embraces all the ten functions of the eye; that is to say, darkness, light, body and colour, shape and location, distance and closeness, motion and rest” (da Vinci, trans. 1956). Creating art trains your mind to concentrate on details and pay more attention to your surrounding environment. Not only that, but art encourages creative thinking, provides a sense of accomplishment, increases your brain connectivity and plasticity, enhances empathy, tolerance, and feelings of love, and improves the quality of life for patients with dementia.

Art's Role in Health and Well-being

Art eases the burden of chronic health conditions as well. It allows patients to forget about their illness for a while, focusing on positive things in life. It helps them maintain their self-identity from before they got sick and express their emotions.

The Lifelong Benefits of Creating Art

Creating art can be beneficial throughout all stages of life. It can help children be better students and improve the quality of life for seniors. It relieves stress, inspires creative thinking, boosts self-confidence, self-worth, self-image, and provides a sense of completion. It can even change the structure of your brain in the way that it functions.

References:

• Cohen, G. D., Perlstein, S., Chapline, J., Kelly, J., Firth, K. M., & Simmens, S. (2006). The impact of professionally conducted cultural programs on the physical health, mental health, and social functioning of older adults. The Gerontologist, 46(6), 726-734.
• Eiseman, L. (2000). Colors for Your Every Mood. Capital Books.
• Gilchrist, A. (1863). Life of William Blake. Macmillan and Co.
• Plato. (1968). The Republic (B. Jowett, Trans.). Random House.
• da Vinci, L. (1956). The Notebooks of Leonardo da Vinci (E. MacCurdy, Trans.). Reynal & Hitchcock.