In the time when science and technology are gradually being prioritized over other fields, human beings still treasure the values of art, manifested by the appreciation of musicians, painters and writers. This essay will give a breakdown on the information that arts can convey about life while science and technology cannot.
It cannot be denied that science and technology bring numerous knowledge about the world via access to social media and other sources of information such as newspapers and magazines. However, while acknowledging the significance of science and technology in keeping people updated about current affairs, the emotional effects of arts on individuals and the feelings that arts channel to them should not be overlooked. Through works of art such as paintings, drawings and pictures, intrinsic emotions of artists are usually conveyed to the audience with an aim of seeking mutual understanding. For example, via the painting of Mona Lisa, Leonardo da Vinci has successfully transpired the admiration for women through the mysterious smile of Mona Lisa and his own message that inner beauty is often valued more than outer appearance in this world. Not only are paintings and drawings involved in the conveyance of feelings to individuals but songs that are written by musicians also play a pivotal role in channeling the emotions to listeners. One case in point is the song named “One moment in time” sung by Whitney Houston during the Seoul Summer Olympics 1988. The song has a heroic melody which helps project the importance of global solidarity to listeners, especially when it comes to such big events as Olympics Games or World Cup.
Not only does the arts aid in the communication of emotions to the audience but it also is the witness of many historic periods with an aim to broaden our knowledge about the history and culture of many countries in the world since the very first days when they were established. For example, in many museums in Vietnam, there are displays of pictures about the wars that Vietnamese people underwent in the past, evoking the feeling of pride in the descendants about the sacrifices of their ancestors in the attempt to bring sovereignty to the nation. Another instance that proves arts can succeed in the description of culture while science and technology barely can do is the drawing called “Dam cuoi chuot” (the marriage of the mice), a folk painting about the cultural wedding practice of Vietnamese people in the time when feudalism still prevailed. “Dam cuoi chuot” conveys that in the past, in order to get married, the people of lower classes had to bribe the authority so their marriages could be accepted. The painting not only describes the backward customs of Vietnamese people, especially those who did not own any power in the society but it also expresses the frustration of the painter about the bribery practice that was present in Vietnam in the feudal time.
In conclusion, while the arts can assist people in communicating their emotions and gaining deeper insight into the history and culture of countries since their establishment, these can hardly be done with the support of science and technology as the advancements usually provide dry information about current affairs and lack the conveyance of feelings.