In spite of the increasing globalization and growing interconnectivity, humanity appears to be drifting apart. Empathy, solidarity, and generosity are given little attention in today’s world, a world which is overshadowed by uncertainty and fear. Artistic creation can counteract this development if given a sustainable, far-reaching platform.
Since the last 20 years globalism has been on a rapid rise. Continents, countries, cities, and their inhabitants are today more closely bundled and dependent on one another than ever before. Although, the concept of globalization has been around for hundreds of years, with the latest technologies, it has gained tremendous importance. The key difference between then and now is speed and time. As Thomas Friedmann has stated in his book “Longitudes & Attitudes”, today everything is ‘farther, faster, deeper and cheaper.’
However, contemporary globalization has reached a pace and complexity that, besides all the great benefits, has created pervasive uncertainties within all levels of society. We are influenced and changed within seconds, connected and disconnected with a simple click. This has created an arbitrariness that may deprive control and consistency from our everyday lives. The reaction to this development is often fear, which is becoming vibrantly and persuasively louder and louder, resulting in nationalism, protectionism, extremism, all of which are populist or ideologically driven movements.
Indeed, we aren’t as much in conflict as we were in prior decades. We probably live in a more peaceful, less racist, more open-minded and innovative era than anyone before us. But the potential triggers for riots big and small are as present as ever, which is aggravated by the fact that many people who wish for a more peaceful and just society have become politically indolent.
Given the world we live in, art may play a crucial role in turning things around. Artists have the gift to channel and showcase their beliefs and emotions in a peaceful yet challenging manner and create space for open dialogue. Art makes people receptive and sensible to new or different opinions. Thus, artists are extremely precious participators to social and political debates.
Art has always played an influential role in times of social transformation. The Renaissance for example saw a huge growth in art as part of a cultural movement against religious and political restrictions. With the rise of humanism, different social actors, among them artists like Leonardo Da Vinci, challenged traditional structures and believes. Some call it ‘the emancipation of the individual’. People started breaking out of set dogmas and began to think independently, expressing themselves and their new world views in various art forms including paintings, literature, music, and fashion. Same goes for Romanticism, an era in which art also had great influence on the social and political developments. As a reaction to the ‘Enlightenment’, the movement opposed the rationalization of human life by putting emphasis on the beauty of nature and emotions, which are so central to human existence. In an era of revolution, artists , among them Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, reacted strongly to oppression and injustice. Their emotions expressed in their work embraced social and political consciousness and influenced the crowd.
Nowadays, art seems to have only little influence on social outcomes. Although the 21st century is crying out for more open dialogue and a safe environment in which everyone feels free to express their emotions and ideas, there is not much action to be observed. With regards to this particular aspect the artistic sphere could be that rare habitat to let go of social constraints, evoke creativity, and let people grow a better understanding of oneself and one’s surrounding. Art in all its forms can counteract current developments by confronting society with its own fears. This is why we need to create a stable platform and mouthpiece for artists to be heard. Their ideas and visions of the future must be accessible to all levels of society. Ultimately, in a world of growing interdependence of people and institutions, art and its creators must become a permanent and visible participator in current affairs in order to rebalance technocratic structures and facilitate open dialogue.