Jumaane N’Namdi

The Diversity and Importance of the Arts
January 19, 2009

 

Today we honor Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.; a man who dedicated his life to racial and cultural diversity. Tomorrow, with the inauguration of Barack Obama as President we will witness the confirmation of Dr. King's dream, the dream that one-day people would be judged by the content of their character.

Therefore, on this day, with the Chicago Sinfonietta, it is only appropriate that we appreciate the growth in diversity not only expressed by Barack Obama’s historic election, but also the diversity that is evident in the arts.

When artists create, they express ideas that impact their life, vision, and the world in which they live. Art is used like science; it is fundamentally a tool for discovery. These discoveries are achieved through color, rhythm, movement, and vast amounts of materials bestowed upon them at the time of creation. These ingredients conjure up diverse expressions of personal experiences.

Just as Dr. King was able to unite a nation of different views and cultures, by appealing to mutual goals and values. Artists are able to create seminal works by understanding and combining common elements from different mediums.

For example: Artist Vicente Pimentel creates pigments by gathering seemingly diverse elements such as dirt, sand, plants and other natural material collected from around the World. He unites these elements using a mortal and pestle to create unique rich hues that permeate when applied to canvas.

Artist Allie McGhee creates a melting pot of pigments by combining oil and acrylic paints, a combination many perceive as unusual. He stirs these opposing ingredients with a fine brush, allowing the two different types of paint to unite. When they’re poured onto the canvas the unique mixture creates a texture and pattern that is nothing short of magical

Though many artists have researched the same periods, and have been trained in the same techniques, they continue to find unique ways to express their diversity, even when exploring the same subject matter. Drawing from his or her experiences, an artist will create works that are uniquely their own.

Painter Ed Clark once told me about his travels to Crete, in Greece, were he produced a body of abstract paintings. He spoke of how when he returned to New York he noticed the color palette of the works he created conjured emotions and memories of his experiences there. He realized that, though consistent in technique, the colors he chose would have been different had the works been painted in his New York Studio. Since that time, Clark continues to travel to distant lands in order to gain new insights, and other perspectives. Just as the environment in Crete influenced Ed Clark, so to are all genres of art influenced by the geographical and cultural environments in which they are created.

Throughout history, art has been a primary source of communication. It seamlessly integrates the duality of form and function, being both aesthetically pleasing and a recorder of generational, cultural, and global experiences.

The next 50 years however, will be a pivotal period for the arts. It could represent the last generation directly exposed to the arts, which in turn, is the last generation directly exposed to culture. As time passes, generations are being born into an era where the appreciation for art is not an every day occurrence or priority it’s strictly a luxury. As the world changes, America is getting the short end of that stick.

On continents such as Asia and Europe, no mater how much the world continues to evolve, no mater how many children grow up listing to ipods, instead of viewing live performances, those civilization have built a foundation that is formed by the arts. Now, this neglect is not a conscious decision. The fight to preserve the arts is a race against convenience, capitalism and technology.

Generations of the past may take for granted being exposed to the arts, Weather it be the painter who lived next-door, the band that performed at your high school dance, or the partner dancing you did during prom. For this reason, it has become increasingly more important that we all accept a personal responsibly for supporting the arts at every level.

If you were to travel to Paris, and all you were able to do was go to the louver, listen to a symphony and of course a eat at a café you would feel as if you were an expert on French culture. We must understand, that type of appreciation for ones culture is not an accident, the visitor does not just end up at those places. Those experiences have been cultivated and persevered for generations to appreciate.

America is a very powerful, diverse, and young country, and unlike many major countries, we were built by enterprise not an aristocracy. One major difference between the two is that a country built on enterprise’s view of success is based on how much capital one can acquire. An aristocracy’s view of success is based upon how great their legacy will be. When building a cultural legacy, no mater how much a landscape changes, future generations will have a chance to experience the magnitude of what existed. This preservation by the wealthy was more then a responsibility it was a requisite.

However, America has a different approach, if you work hard, you too can be successful. Yet there are responsibilities that come with that success. With success automatically comes the responsibility of preserving culture and this preservation is done through the arts. This responsibility is bigger then any one of us, and larger then any industry.

While business continues to bring us great enterprise for resources and employment, there is a greater need, a longer lasting need, for a lifetime dedication to the people, giving strength to their humanity. The biggest epiphany of today's economic fiasco is that we have been programmed to feel as if our livelihood, culture, and civilization are centered on money so without it we feel empty. There must be a shift in values we must begin to appreciate our humanity so that we always feel empowered and rich. We must begin by supporting our selves by cultivating our civilization.

Artists have been documenting the growth, and the diversity of this every changing nation since the beginning, its up to us to give them a platform, just as we are here tonight. We must give them a platform to share and appreciate those discoveries. Once this is achieved you will be pleasantly surprised to see the magnitude of our strength culturally, creatively, and spiritually.

Thank You Very Much!

Mark Williams (PricewaterhouseCoopers), Jim Hirsch, Jumaane N’Namdi (G.R. N’Namdi Gallery), Cheri Chappelle (ITW), William Rolack (Adecco), and Andres Tapia (Hewitt)