Art often feels like a deeply personal experience, yet its presence is woven into the very fabric of our society and history. For many, including myself, a disconnect from art feels like a profound deprivation, a kind of cultural withdrawal. It’s as if the appreciation for and, indeed, the necessity of art is hardwired into our human existence. Art isn’t a mere pastime or a luxury; it resides at the core of what makes us human, acting as a vital engine driving our understanding and expression.
As my mother aptly put it, “Die Kunst ist unsere Daseinsberechtigung.” Art is our justification for existence. This powerful statement underscores the profound role art plays in defining who we are and why we are here.
Looking back through the vast expanse of human history, we see art emerging long before written records. The breathtaking cave paintings in Sulawesi, Indonesia, and El Castillo, Spain, dating back approximately 40,000 years, serve as testament to this innate human drive to create. And these are just the oldest examples we’ve discovered so far; earlier artistic expressions likely await unearthing. Consider our evolutionary predecessors, the Neanderthals. Physically stronger and with larger brains, they nonetheless left behind minimal sophisticated tools and artifacts. One compelling theory suggests that a limitation in Neanderthal imagination, contrasted with Homo sapiens’ complex and adventurous thinking – our inherent creativity – propelled us to the forefront of human evolution. This creative spark, manifested through art, is arguably a defining characteristic of our species’ success.
However, the importance of art extends far beyond mere sensory pleasure. Engaging with art at its deepest level is an intensely intellectual journey. Great art, by its very nature, is complex and demands active participation from the viewer or listener. There’s an extraordinary moment, one that feels particularly missed in times of limited access to art, when you stand before a painting, sculpture, or hear a piece of music, and suddenly, it speaks directly to you. Masterpieces are imbued with layers of messages and meanings that can resonate across centuries. Intriguingly, these messages are not static; they evolve and shift as decades and centuries pass, yet their power and relevance remain undiminished. This enduring quality is a hallmark of truly significant art.
Velázquez’s “Las Meninas” serves as a potent example. Each encounter with this painting in the Prado Museum in Madrid, across different phases of life, has yielded profound pleasure and new insights. Reflecting on “Las Meninas” in our current pandemic-altered world underscores the deep longing to experience art in physical spaces once again. There is simply no substitute for the tangible presence of artwork. Its materiality connects inextricably to our senses, our physical bodies, and our capacity for analytical thought and intellectual curiosity. Ultimately, the importance of art lies in its ability to engage us holistically – intellectually, emotionally, and sensorially – enriching our lives and solidifying its central role in the human story.
