Why is Art Necessary?

As an art dealer in New York, I never questioned whether art was necessary. It was our livelihood, and our circle was other dealers, collectors, museum curators, and critics. Of course, art is necessary in those areas, but why is it necessary for people in general? In the past, I have quoted Michael Kimmelman, art and architecture critic for the New York Times, as saying, “Art is never necessary. It is merely indispensable”.

I have written about why I thought art is important, but the word “necessary” has always bothered me. Obviously, we do not need art to physically survive, like air, water, and food. Yet art has, as far as we know, existed since human beings have been on earth. If you have read my Missives over the years, you know many of the fields that are called art, i.e., music, painting, drawing, sculpture, literature, poetry, dance, architecture, theater, and movies. I don’t know people who do not participate in at least one of these areas.

We know that art has existed since the caveman. He used rocks, charcoal, clay, and minerals mixed with water or animal fat to paint the sides of caves with images of animals. Even if you have not visited sites like the Lascaux caves, you have seen prehistoric images of bison, horses, and deer. There are also hunting scenes and handprints made by blowing pigment over a hand pressed against a wall.

Native Americans also created Pictographs 10,000 to 15,000 years ago, and in this image, you can see a wheel.

The earliest three-dimensional example is the Venus of Willendorf, estimated to have been carved out of Paleolithic limestone 25,000-30,000 years ago. The powerful figure is only 4.4 inches high. Some believe it was a symbol of fertility, and others that it had spiritual or ritual meaning. It was discovered in 1908 in an archeological dig near Willendorf, Austria, and can be found today on permanent view at the Natural History Museum in Vienna.

When one mentions art, most people think about a museum or gallery, but not of their own environment. You can’t help but see murals on a wall or in a tunnel as you pass by. If you live in a house, you make judgments based on artistic values, i.e., building materials, color, and layout. Which house is more pleasing, the calming retreat or the breathtaking standout from all the other buildings around?

Architects often pride themselves on being different, and their clients want a distinctive appearance or feel. If you go to Tehran, you can not help but gaze in awe at this architectural marvel, the stunning Azadi Tower in Tehran, designed by Persian architect Hossein Amanat and completed in 1971 to celebrate the 2,500 years of the Persian Empire.

It is the same with music; we all have our own taste, but music of one sort or another appeals to everyone. We just attended an American folk/bluegrass Okee Dokee Brothers’ concert. There were children from toddlers to pre-teens filling the aisles of the theater, dancing and bouncing with the rhythms. It was not only cathartic for the kids but also for the adults. We were so happy that we went.

Graphic art in the form of cartoons mocking prominent figures became popular in Great Britain in the 18th century and is still used today to illustrate a serious message in a humorous manner.

Art has always played a large role in religion. Over centuries, the Catholic Church commissioned dramatic paintings and sculptures to convey the message of the Faith to a primarily illiterate populace. Even if you do not consider yourself religious or an art fan, if you get to visit the Sistine Chapel in Vatican City, you will stand in awe of Michelangelo’s ceiling and Last Judgement.

A television show can offer a form of escape or affect how we think. To survive the turmoil in the world, we need to be able to get away from it all, and if it is not a museum or a gallery, it might be a night to go to the theater or stream a movie.

Friedrich Nietzsche (1844–1900), the German philosopher, said, ““We have art in order not to perish from the truth.” In these times, who can deny it?