Art History

Imagine a world where a child was not able to play video games. Imagine a world with no buildings to accommodate many businesses. Imagine a world where there were no memorials where victims could be honored for giving their life for their country. Finally, imagine a world where your house has bare walls and museums have bare ceilings. This is a world without art. While growing up, discussions regarding art never occurred in my household. As I look back on my life now, I realize that different kinds of art surrounded me. Yet, I never closely paid much attention. Art to me, compiles many, diverse ideas. I envisioned art as something beautiful or awe inspiring, not necessarily as an object of influence or purpose. Within this essay, I will describe my observations of art in everyday life, the impact of such art forms, and my expectations of how this class will change my outlook on art.
When I was younger, I had several encounters with art that I never noticed.   I grew up in a rough neighborhood, where art was never a strong influence on people’s lives. My family did not introduce art into my life, but now I realize that it was always all around me.   I have never thought art would be something as basic as a piece of woodwork, a memorial, a video game or even a skyscraper.   Art is highly visual; it inspires me to look deeper to find meaning behind it.
Looking back on my life I have come to realize that many forms of art surrounded me.   My neighborhood, for example, art was disguised as graffiti memorializing friends that had passed away violently.   The graffiti artist portrayed the artists’ emotions on a giant wall canvas.   Today when I visit friends and family in my old neighborhood, I look at those memorials on the wall and it reminds me about friends, which I have lost. The artful images serve as memories into the past.
Graffiti also crosses over to the form of tattoos.   Again, I reference the memorial style of tattoos for friends that had passed away,...