What significance does art have in our lives?

It depends on what form of art you’re talking about because art is a multifaceted discipline that impacts different subject matters and walks of life. Art is an exalted way of expression through painting and sculpture, song, dance, drama, and literature. Let’s take the case of painting and sculpture – all the splendid architecture that we see in the best-developed parts of our cities is essentially a form of art that has been adapted structural science. These architectural masterpieces can’t be conceived with mere structural perfection because they also need to be blended with aesthetics.

No Life Without Art

Take the case of a song, dance, and drama, especially in a country like India. Can you imagine a day without any or all three of these art forms in our homes? It’s simply inconceivable because it’s not confined just to the audience. There’s an entire entertainment industry with hundreds of thousands of people depending on it for a living that will get the shock of their lives if all this were to come to a sudden halt even if it is just for a day. Those who have seen days, when 99% of the living rooms in the country didn’t have a TV set, would tell us about the plays and drama shows they used to wait to hear on their radios. They also speak about people’s perception of how progressive a town or city is, depending on how many movie theatres it had.

Richness of Art

Finally, let’s consider literary art – right from ancient times till date; it is the steady flow of literature that has molded people’s imaginations in ways that are simply amazing. Take the case of Ramayan – the epic story of a North Indian prince whose legacy has a profound effect in the life and times of both the present and future generations is not just India but also in the whole of Southeast Asia. Speaking of more contemporary works of art, there are so many of such significance that it will take an entire lifetime to cover. What we should not forget is that art is the lifeblood of human civilization. Take it out…and we’ll all become zombies.