Thought Behind...
To quote the great philosopher Socrates - ‘the unexamined life is not worth living’. He wanted to know what’s valuable, what’s important, how to live a good life and what’s the right thing to do?
Socrates realized that philosophy is not a body of knowledge, but a questioning mindset. It is a way of linking reason with value and emotion, with the goal of living and dying well.
The current Corona pandemic has engulfed the world. It is a test of human endurance. Negativity, tension, fear, stress are words that frequent the scene. However, an artist cannot afford that. He has a social responsibility. He has to radiate positivity – something to bask from its reflected glory. Pablo Picasso, one of the world’s greatest painters told, ‘Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life’.
With my twenty years in the domain of art, as an artist, teacher and an art lover, I feel a lack of awareness in the society. It pains me to see how insensitive and uncaring many can be. We are still immersed in the system of education that was initiated by the English to rule over us. Neither the Government nor the private educational institutions have cared to develop an arts appreciation course. The Government of West Bengal, has submitted a draft on Art Education as a part of the regular curriculum. Private schools have art & craft as a subject. However, very few students are encouraged to choose art for their board examinations. This, irrespective of the fact that many general graduates are now applying for the job of a driver or a peon. Without knowledge of art and aesthetics, only statistically one becomes eligible. Parents prefer standard education that does not deliver. Perhaps today’s civilized society is producing more human machines… In contemporary times visual art has moved beyond the singular discipline to multi-media expressions which not only has significance but also offer opportunities. Only if we appreciate art and aesthetics, our thoughts, inner feelings, values and social bonding will be become stronger.
The healing power of art has long been recognized by scientists and artists alike. It has now been proved with evidence on the therapeutic quality of art. Today visual art therapy has become an effective treatment for severe anxiety and depression.
Art is borderless and believes in togetherness bringing social harmony. Media has a role to play. In print hardly any space is dedicated for art. Though there are exceptions, it can generally be said that art gets neglected.
Along with established individuals this is also a platform for the new generation, the young talented artists, art writers and art lovers.
Overall www.artwaveindia.com shall be a common space for sharing thoughts, exchanging ideas, giving opinions, even debating and connecting to like-minded people.