“Whilst working, the title and name of the activity ‘Art’ is nowhere in mind, neither in my conscious activities.” Street artist.
New World
With new digital technologies plunging all of us deeper into the unknown of global realities, deeply penetrating questions demanding answered are being asked. Seeking sensible answers from artists, not only from what is offered, or visible in their works, but much more is required. Allowing the viewing audiences closer introspections of the artist inner being.
The new global situation, scenarios and circumstances are unprecedented to the extremes. Our highest standards of education, experiences and environments, have not prepared us to face or deal with them. The new realities expose the truths and rational of the unknown.
Fine Art
As a creative activity, art covers vast areas of specifics. Now, almost any activity can be approached and applied from a base located in art. For instance, Muhammed Ali in the boxing arenas, “float like butterfly, and sting like a bee”. However, very few people are able to raise their creative activities to the level of visible finesse and refinements, to be identified and classified as Fine Art.
Now
The current concerns all societies, are within the popular visual cultures, a major element of new media and the global communication systems.
Billions of images are generated daily, creating a more robust visually literate and aware audiences everywhere.
Can the traditional meanings of Art and Culture in society, be relevant right now, in the new? In its transformative processes, can art heal, be the cure, even as a therapy for human ills? Beginning with opening the eyes of blind perceptions, mending hearts turned to stone and iron, or mind and imaginations, lost in the mire of narcissistic obsessions and fantasies made real?
SOCIETY
Human beings as a species, essentially, through nature, are totally one and the same.
What make us uniquely different is our biological make up, individual thinking, state of mind – intellect, group values and organisations.
The interactions between groups in the same locale, environment or city, generate a similarity of experiences.
All the above are reinforced, through the administration of government social contracts and the rules of law. In societies, especially huge urban spreads. where large numbers of diverse ethnic and racial groups live. How are we to achieve equitable social living without tolerance, understanding, inclusive openness, deep thoughts and wise actions? The new global one world agenda, is forcing us all to find answers to questions in that vein, with renewed view points.
CULTURE
Values that are cultivated and maintained over centuries, become the cultural foundation, structure and distinctive collective identity of a community, population or nation.
Woven into the fabric of our collective unconscious as heritage and traditional legacies. How then will individuals be able to navigate, the one world realities sweeping across the globe?
Bombarded and driven by vast numbers of constantly renewed data and information, moving at light speed. Rapid continuous changes are now the norm in all areas of living. The ideas of the Mire is fully visible and actually real.
We are all engaged and participating at the same time, in global and local activities. Yet, not many of us know the scenarios of the new cultures, where it is going, the eventual outcomes, and what it means for us as human beings, the society or the individual.
No single entity, organisation, or groups are in control of global events. Major changes and shifts are happening without prior warnings. The attitude is, do what you can, wait and see, but for how long?There is no longer a normal.