Writng for Academic Discussion Role of art in society

Art has been an integral part of human culture for millennia, serving various purposes and taking countless forms. From ancient cave paintings to contemporary digital installations, art reflects and shapes our experiences, values, and identities. In your opinion, what are some of the roles of art in society today? Discuss their significance and impact on individuals and communities.

 

 

☆Let’s think

1.       In medieval ages, for example, art played a significant role in delivering the teachings of Christianity. Stained glass pictures in church windows told the stories of the Bible and music was used to sing psalm. Architecture developed with church designs. Does art play the same kind of part of today’s society?

 

2.       What is the significance and impact of art on individuals and communities?

 

 ☆Sample Answer for Ideas and Expressions

【Thesis】Although I have been a big worshipper of art and have shared the same expectations for art to break the status quo to change the world by raising awareness about issues as Wendy points out, I became skeptical of it recently due to the silence of most artists about the ongoing Israeli genocide on Gaza.

【Supporting Details】For over 9 months, during which time the world witnessed the deaths of more than 160,000 Palestinians due to attacks and lack of necessities inflicted on them by Israel, whose officials call them human animals, there has been an eerie silence among major artists, revealing their nature as part of the industry. The huge screens above Shibuya Crossing never show a pop-star condemning the threat to humanities, let alone the horrible images from Gaza. There is no big anti-war concert like Woodstock. It took 7 months for Macklemore’s “Hinds Hall” to be online, which was encouraging but still was after Gaza was totally flattened.

【Counterargument-treatment】There are exceptions. Some artists like the rock legend Roger Waters, Francis Coppola of Documentary Michael Moore, and walking resistance Tom Morello from Rage Against the Machine had been vocal about the apartheid and atrocities in Gaza by Israel for decades and were the first to defend Palestinians after October 7^th. Artists4Ceasefire.org, consisting of 400 artists, started immediately after October 7 and called for actions. Actress Suzan Sarandon lost her job for criticizing Israel in a month or so. In Japan, Kazehito Seki, a noise musician, has been jailed for months for spray-painting graffiti saying, “FREE GAZA” on government properties, and there are some other artists using their skills to tell the truth. But other than them, almost all the artists around the world, who talk about love and peace, keep their mouth shut on this crime of the century, and thus the public won’t pay much attention to the issue. Charlie Chaplin made “The Great Dictator” when Hitler Nazis was on its zenith. He was exceptional and his action was an exception as well.

【Conclusion】Power of art to change the world is in the artists, and when most artists are not compassionate and courageous enough to do their jobs to help their fellow humans who have been exposed to illegitimate punishment, I cannot pay any homage to those who call themselves artists, and their roles in society are no different from any other ordinary worker. (395 words)