Why We Should Love Art

The reasons why a supporting social safety net is needed in the arts sector of our society.

I have often seen people who had no interest in or were unmoved by art in their youth come to appreciate and love it as they enter middle age and beyond. This might follow the same principle as how we learn to marvel at flowers and nature as we age. Now, with AI technology, anyone can create high-quality images and videos much more easily than before. We are witnessing a flood of extremely high-quality images and videos. Does this mean art is no longer special?

But herein lies the specialness of art

Appreciating art goes beyond visual pleasure – it's about being moved by and empathizing with the artist's unique story and voice. Artists speak on our behalf and make us reflect through their personal narratives. Their works are infused with personal stories and emotions that are beyond merely generated images.

This is why individuals who never studied art come to understand it later in life, after they've seen and felt much and gained wisdom about life. As we mature and our understanding broadens, as our worldview becomes more sophisticated, we begin to empathize with things we couldn't see before. This empathy leads to emotional resonance and creates gentle ripples in our lives that ultimately transform us. This is why societies where art is commonplace tend to see fewer crimes and immoral acts that lack humanity.

Moreover, like popular art forms such as film and music, artworks possess originality – a privilege of ownership. While discussing originality in digital art is more complex, it still maintains original files created by artists and can generate unique serial numbers, similar to printmaking.

In fine art, where the artist's spiritual energy is more deeply embedded, originality symbolizes an irreplaceable deep connection with the artist. It's a kind of 'aura' of the artwork. This is why collecting artwork can become a form of investment.

This is why art needs a safety net

However, art remains precarious.

The flood of images brought by technological advancement and a world that prioritizes money above all else creates a society that fails to understand art. In a society where art isn't fully understood, individual artists' livelihoods cannot be secure. This isn't a problem that individuals can solve – it requires ongoing societal awareness and government support. We should empathize with and continue to develop the need for social safety nets in Canada to protect artistic activities that preserve human spiritual values.

Thanks!

Let’s connect! 👉 Instagram