An artist deserves more because he is a man of great sensibilities towards society and people. There has been a long debate for centuries whether an artist is born or made. Critics debated over the issue for so long if it is inspiration or perspiration that creates great art. Great writers, critics, painters and sculptors have been divided in their opinions if it is inborn merit, spiritual awakening of the inner soul or an individual’s hard struggle that becomes the most dominating factor for an artist’s success. Whatever the reason is, there is no doubt that artists are blessed people who play important roles in shaping the minds of individuals. So the Great Romantic poet Coleridge praised the level of creative vision of an artist and referred him an individual of extraordinary merits and exposures:
“‘For he on honey-dew hath fed,
And drunk the milk of Paradise.“
Art has been an integral part of people’s lives since the advent of civilisation. Ancient temples, architectures, cave paintings, etc, bear specimens of ancient people’s taste for arts. Artists were regarded with high esteem in the society. Renaissance Italian painter Leonardo da Vinci, who shook the world with his masterpieces like Mona Lisa, The Last Supper etc, was a versatile talent having expertise in engineering, philosophy, science, theory and what not!! An artist is a person of exceptional talent because without the vision of men, society and nature, great art cannot be produced. Renaissance poet, scholar and poet Sir Philip Sidney opined that poetry is superior knowledge to history or philosophy because it has the power to guide people through the knowledge of the past and the future.
Our modern society sometimes suffers from a lack of artistic sensibility because we have a very limited scope of art education. If we see the legacy of arts, we can see that there had been no conflict between arts and science. We can see Einstein and Rabindranath Tagore in a single frame exchanging ideas because great souls always adhear to the value of arts and artists. The education of science is incomplete without the proper understanding of the value of arts in life. So premium engineering and technical institutions across the world like Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Stanford University, and the National University of Singapore (NUS) integrate the courses of Humanities into the mainstream technical courses so that tech professionals can be equally sensible towards arts and society. Indian premium instituitions like IITs, IISC also offer compulsory papers in the Humanities stream for the same mission.
Being an artist is not a cup of tea for everyone as it involves years of hard work, motivation, talent and its proper utilisation. We can enrich the aesthetic sensibilities and understanding of humanities and society only if we value arts and artists. We have to educate people about the arts and the value of artists so that they can differentiate what is right and what is wrong. A generation remains unproductive and aesthetically bankrupt if we fail to integrate arts into our daily lives. Famous Indian painter and writer Nandalal Bose wrote,
“The only redress for this lies in spreading art education amongst the so-called educated public, as they set the standards for the people at large.“
That’s why an artist deserves more. His voice should be heard across the continents as an inspiration for revolution and the new age. His painting should be displayed among the people to enrich their aesthetic sensibilities. His photograph should connect the insightful minds for the exchange of ideas and cultures. His lyrics should lead the people during the tough times of revolution and conflicts. An artist’s presence, his arts, and his artistic sensibilities can transform this world as a place of peace and harmony.
An artist deserves more and a portfolio can be the platform for an artist to get what he deserves. A portfolio transforms an artist into a global influencer through his arts and stories. This brings his art into the doorsteps of his followers, reviewers and critics from every corner of the earth. When an artist pours his heart and invests efforts, it results in a piece of art, which may be a story, a painting, a photograph, or a few lines of lyrics. The art, the story and the voice of an artist become a part of the aesthetic revival of the generation if those are brought forward virtually.
An artist needs a portfolio as he deserves to be global. We can hardly locate an artist within a narrow geopolitical boundary because his art and vision are pathfinders for the human race. His art, his voice, and his story should get exposure for the sake of a better and sustainable world. A portfolio will connect his unique arts, his creativity and his untold stories to thousands of minds for ensuring a generation of healthy culture and pure aesthetic sensibilities.
