Art America

I think that the arts have a significant place in American culture. I don’t necessarily think that art has greatly influenced America. We really are not a society that places a high emphasis on art, at least not the general population. Our society focuses more on hard work and the rewards that work can bring a family. With that said, I think that most Americans appreciate art more than art influences them. We enjoy going to the art museum on occasion, maybe grab a show at the theater or even go to a concert at times. But, we don’t spend time considering the value that art adds to our community. I have jokingly told many of my friends that the best piece of art in Raleigh is the enormous statue of Jesus in the Memorial Gardens Cemetery at 7200 Glenwood Ave. It is certainly the only piece that the city council hasn’t taken an argument for or against. Perhaps, that is why North Carolina’s capital city has very little public art.

One particular art form that reveals the heart of America is music. Americans love music more than any form of art available. It is cheap, easy to attain and the genres are almost infinite. American music is a multi-billion dollar transnational form of art. In every part of the world, the one piece of American art that is on every street corner, restaurant, T.V, and radio is American music. It may not be the dominating style of music in other countries, but it is definitely influential and prevalent. In fact, American music likely affects foreign youth more than any other influence.

After reading some of Dissanayake, I wonder if American sports are to be considered a form of art. Ocho Cinco, Rodman, T.O. and others certainly make an interesting case. Are these guys more than players, are they artists? Dissanayake points out that, “art and play share many salient characteristics, and it is understandable how some of the functional and emotional values of play have frequently been assigned to art”. Hmmm, I am still on the fence with this opinion.

Kevin