In houses, schools, jobs, stores, nature, art can be found everywhere in the world. But what exactly is art? “Art is the expression of human creative skill and imagination, and is typically developed in a visual form such as painting or sculpture, producing works to be appreciated primarily for their beauty or emotional power.” (Oxford) Art is needed in our lives and is not overrated because it develops your brain, it helps you communicate and it encourages creativity. First of all, art develops the brain.
A FMRI study made on 2014 stated that visual art improves the way the brain works. In this research 14 men and 14 women were gathered, half of them went to an art course where they learn how to paint and draw and the other half went to a course where they appreciate art. The experiment lasted for 10 weeks and after the neurologists make some tests and observations, they conclude that visual art or creating art has a beneficial effect in your brain. On the other hand, observing art does not have a huge effect in your brain, but like visual art it develops some areas like multiple intelligences. (Brooks)
In addition to this, Howard Gardner an American psychologist and researcher of education that studied the human mind, said that there are multiple intelligences, and that art helps to develops some of these intelligences like interpersonal and intrapersonal intelligences. Interpersonal intelligence has to do with understanding and interacting with other people and intrapersonal means getting to understand yourself as a person. These types of intelligence are link to the brain but also to communication, which is another reason for why we need art in our lives.
As previously mentioned, art encourages a better communication. (Walsh) As Jean Dubuffet, a famous French painter and sculptor once said “Art is a language, an instrument of knowledge, an instrument of communication.” With this is mind, it can be said that art is a form of communication, through art, feelings and emotions can be shown. Art is also a language, because it can be understood in any country and it does not need words to communicate. For example, a lot of people might not be good at talking or expressing themselves but when they starting using or doing art, they change completely. Art makes people feel more secure about themselves, makes them open their hearts and mind, and communicate how they feel.
Additionally, Thomas Moore, an American psychologist stated that “Continuous exposure to the arts is one of the best ways to prepare ourselves for relationship, much better than relying entirely on the psychological in our approach to life. More important than the particular themes we find in the arts which may give us insight into relationship is the general education in poetic thinking and living that the arts provide.” This is stating that art not only encourages communication but also it helps to build relationships. Being a better communicator helps to create bonds in life, like finding a friend or a partner. The way you communicate is very important for your social life and this is related to creativity.
Art stimulates creativity. But first of all, what is creativity? Based on the Business dictionary, creativity is a “Mental characteristic that allows a person to think outside the box, which results in innovative or different approaches to a particular task.” (Business) This is exactly what art does, it shows you how to be open minded. An artist uses their mind to create their own artworks and that is why art stimulates creativity. Van Gogh, a very famous artist, used art and his creativity to invent amazing and unusual art. Also, Leonardo Da’ Vinci used his creativity which he developed through art to create innovating things that nobody had seen before at his time. Like these amazing artists, people who create art develop their creativity, everyone is creative but art helps people develop this skill to an advanced level.
After all, art is very important for our lives because it stimulates your brain, creativity and also it encourages a better communication. In conclusion, art develops your brain in different ways. For example, social skills and communication which are related to each other and also, multiple intelligences, including intrapersonal and interpersonal intelligences. Art is necessary for our lives because what would the world do without art? The world would not be the same and as the anonymous quote goes, “The earth without art is just ‘eh’.” The world without art is just boring.
