As creative individuals, it’s rewarding when we can use our skills to make something that “speaks” to others. Whether it’s the written word, the visual arts, music or performance arts, “The Arts” have always been a way to make powerful statements about politics, religion, war, the environment. It’s a way to make your own opinion known about these and other things that usually embody a very personal, individual set of beliefs or values. It has been said that any “successful” piece of art is one that evokes an emotional response (be it good or bad).
image borrowed from http://www.edutopia.org/arts-music-curriculum-child-development
Throughout history, there are scads of examples of “The Arts” changing the world in some way. I’m not just talking about changing the “Art World”, though there are plenty of examples of that, too. But consider things like cave paintings. Once discovered, they completely changed the way that modern mankind viewed our cave-dwelling ancestors! Or how about Shakespeare and his influence of adding around 1700 words to the English language, or his play “Othello” which brought the idea of inter-racial love to the forefront of peoples’ minds?
image borrowed from http://www.durbeckarchive.com/plays.htm
The song “Imagine” by John Lennon became something of a “global” anthem for peace, because anyone, anywhere could relate to the desire of human beings for peace instead of war. The photograph of the young, naked Vietnamese girl running away from a napalm attack in the 1970’s shocked enough people to significantly swell the anti-Vietnam movement here in America.
image borrowed from http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/vietnam/7735854/Vietnam-War-girl-in-the-picture-reunited-with-journalist-who-saved-her-life.html
I’m sure you can think of numerous examples, but the point is that Art has POWER.
Now take that creative energy and then multiply it, with many artists working for the same cause…and the possibilities are astounding! I’d like to share a video I recently watched from here regarding the POWER of a “Collective Creative Conscience”. It gave me hope and inspiration that we CAN (and DO) change the world in better ways than we ever thought possible! Enjoy! 🙂
~ Dragon's Dreams ~ 
wonderful video!
I enjoyed your post….as it seems to be my mind set these days in a way…
as i experiment with gifts from Gaia to weave so to speak into art…
Thank you for sharing…I will be back to watch the video again what an incredible accomplishment,
I am sure I will see so much more that I missed!
BeeHive is a perfect name…
Take Care…You Matter…
)0(
maryrose
Thanks, maryrose! I thought the video was such a good example of the amazing things that happen when people work together. 🙂 Beehive is definitely apt! Thanks for taking the time to read and comment!
Reblogged this on Chronicles of Illusions and commented:
Corina says that: “The point is that Art has POWER.” I watched the video contained in this post and felt a lump…a lump that came from hope. I hope you will watch it and feel the same emotion.
Thanks so much, Jo! 🙂
Wow…that video really got to me.
I know! Me, too! The work that they have done is simply astounding to me. And the fact that it took them 9 years and they stuck with it was just heart-warming. I love hearing about, reading about things like this! 🙂 I just knew others would want to know about it, too.
Incredibly beautiful work!
Thanks, but I can’t take credit for it – all the credit goes to the people out there making it happen every day. 🙂 Thanks for the visit and comment.
Brilliant video, thank you for sharing, I came via Jo’s re-blog… The Collective Consciousness is gathering together more power as we join as ONE…
Love and Blessings
Sue 🙂
Thanks for the visit and the kind words, Sue. 🙂 Yes, I love that the positive energy is growing!
You are welcome, and the Circle of our Collective is Growing ever wider 🙂
This is such a good summation of the impart of the arts. We can be the change.
Thanks, Victoria. 🙂 That’s it, exactly! We CAN be the change we wish to see in the world!
often i wonder about entertaining and what it means to entertain. the yearning to bring about changes and using art and expression as part of a way to reach out into the world. sometimes feel so helpless to do anything of worth …. but maybe that’s because so many others have changed us with their art and views on life.
Ah, I don’t think when we do something creative that it’s ever ‘worthless’…it’s so much stronger when you get a group of people working toward the same goal, but each individual brings their own energy to it. I know what you mean about comparing stuff I do with the “old masters” or those who have created something which impacts so many, globally. But sometimes I think that’s the wrong way to look at it – maybe our work can have an effect locally that makes just as much of a difference. Creating a poster highlighting homelessness in your own part of the city, for example, or what you do with Croxxed, which highlights political wrongs in your own part of the Blogosphere. Every person who sees them will think about them, process them…and who knows, maybe one of them will do something that changes the whole thing? We never really know how what we say or do or create will impact people…if it’s entertaining, so much the better, because people will remember it. 🙂
true, only takes a pebble to start a landslide, the whole teaparty movement was started online when we were on myspace. i had even been part with my political rantings ….. not the greatest example of what we’re talking about! but it can be scary sometimes when you see the results.
Great post. Poignant photos!
Thanks! I had to share it with others who I knew would appreciate it, too. 🙂 Glad you enjoyed.
Brilliant video, Corina, thanks for sharing. Recently my man and I have been reviewing the way in which we think about our art ~ for a few years now it has seemed that ‘success’ demands that we ignore our creative impulses and move our focus onto producing work that is ‘saleable.’ This year we are simply going to do what pleases us ~ we didn’t make a profit or find success by bowing to convention anyway! I would so love to be part of a thriving collective, engendering and fostering common inspirations and creating something meaningful!! So thank you for reminding me of that! 🙂
Thanks, Jacqueline. I think that is *wonderful*!! about doing what art pleases you both! “Success” can be defined as being able to do what you want and get paid for it, but even if you’re not getting paid for it, at least you are enjoying the creative process. And there is certainly more to life (and Art) than making money. I hope you’ll continue to share some of your projects with us out here in the Blog-o-sphere! You are both very talented!