Our
View: Students can embrace art, culture
of L.A.
While pondering about events for the upcoming weekend, most college students
consider going to a party, concert or movie. Attending a museum, most often,
does not make the list. This is, in part, due to the snobbish, pretentious connotations
often associated with art. The vast majority of art has been mislabeled as a
pastime reserved for the wealthy for centuries, but now more than ever, art is
something best enjoyed and understood
by those of the middle and lower classes.
For centuries, art was something only wealthy people could partake in, mainly
because only wealthy people could buy pieces of art and afford to take time out
of their schedule to spend time in a museum. Until the ’50s, when there
was a surge in the middle class, most Americans worked long, grueling hours and
had no desire to spend their spare time looking at paintings.
Few college students today are faced with the backbreaking demands of farm labor
or factory work that many previous generations faced. Many of us have the luxury
of having enough spare time to spend in a museum. No longer is art reserved for
those who can afford to have their portrait made. Unlike many pastimes, which
require money, many museums have free admission for students or during specific
hours.
Also, many people believe only the wealthy can truly appreciate art because they
have gone to the “best” school and have been instructed on how to
understand art. Many people believe they cannot grasp the complex ideas behind
art because they have not taken classes dedicated to interpreting the meaning
behind a piece of art, but this cannot be farther from the truth.
An education in the arts can be a hindrance instead of an advantage when it comes
to appreciating art. A piece of art should speak to its audience emotionally,
and instead of being muddled with confusing ideas about the artist’s intentions
or “true meaning,” those who are not educated in art theory are free
to experience the piece however it strikes them.
Good art elicits an emotional response from the viewer. Everyone is equipped
with the knowledge about how to interpret a piece of art because it is internal,
even innate. A good artist can communicate his or her ideas by creating a piece
of art that speaks clearly to his or her audience.
That is what makes art so powerful. It can be an expression of something deeply
personal, for both the interpreter and creator, and at the same time, it can
express an idea about something outside us. It is both personal and communal,
serving as a medium between the artist and the viewer.
Living in such close proximity to a powerful, cultural mecca like Los Angeles
is a blessing, and too few students enjoy the diverse array of art and culture
that is only a short drive away.
Los Angeles is filled with a plethora of every kind of art. Paintings, sculptures
and architectural wonders are a stone’s throw away from the Cal State Long
Beach campus. Even the CSULB campus has interesting, evocative art for its students
to enjoy.
Next time you’re planning the upcoming weekend, consider a trip to a local
museum. It has the potential to enhance your perception of life and, at the very
least, it will broaden your cultural horizons.
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