Essay Sample on Visual Culture: Expression of a Community, Society, State

Visual culture means the visible aspects of society. It is the verbal forms that are used as means of expressions of a community, society, or state to describe the features of the whole entity. Visual culture is mostly expressed in the artistic work or architectural construction of a community. However, visual culture takes a broad scope as it is not limited to the customs of visual expression. Therefore, visual culture is usually used to depict the various forms of visual culture present about a society or a community. A critical examination of visual culture indicates that it is an approach used in the study and learning practices involving art history, humanities, sciences, and social sciences.

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In other words, the visual study is a way of examining daily life experiences (Nygard 328). It encompasses all aspects of human life including architectural designs, buildings, engineering, medicine and entirely everything that is used to communicate the way of life of a people. One of the essential areas covered in visual culture is contemporary visual works. The paper examines, evaluates, and analyzes the importance of contemporary visual work by diving into its historical and cultural background.

Contemporary visual works play a significant role in the invention, construction, conceptualization, and intention of a community or a society. The study of contemporary visual works through visual cultural study helps in the understanding of the economic, social, and ideological facets of a people. It acts as a reflection upon the cultural practices surrounding the work of the community and examines the impact of the visual aspect on the job.

Contemporary visual work, also known as modern art, is a term that refers to artistic work such as painting, molding, architectural designs, sculpture, photography, and numerous other types of creativity present in the society today. It mostly covers artistic work done within the 20th and 21st centuries. Traditionally, the work of art was divided into seven main categories. The categories include architectural designs, sculptures, paintings, literature, music, performing arts, and films, and cinematic arts. The traditional arts employed the use of seven essential components known as the Seven Liberal Arts. It includes the use of grammar, reason, magniloquence, calculation, geometry, melody, and astronomy. However, they invent of technology has brought about significant developments in contemporary visual work.

Contemporary visual work is an essential part of visual culture studies. They are a useful tool for reflecting current cultures and ways of life of a society. It creates an opportunity for art students to examine contemporary ideas and events and relate them to society. A contemporary artist uses art in a rigorous blend of content, approaches, perceptions, and subjects to reflect on the events in the community. The artist manipulates contemporary art in such a way that it tends to challenge traditional limits and disregard easy definition. Contemporary art is, therefore, a critical tool for voicing the dynamic cultural scope of identities and values.

The artist, the audience, and contemporary art form the three main building blocks of present visual work. The artist uses contemporary art to pose a challenge to the audience, which in turn strives to give meaning and interpretation of the works of art. Therefore, the audience is a vital component in the visual cultures. According to artists, they contribute to the work of art by giving it meaning through personal experiences and reflections that are essential for the interpretation. In most cases, contemporary arts carry the open and inner message. Therefore, a person will have to get both the shallow and deeper meaning of the work of art. The interpretation refers to the process of deciphering and obtaining an explanation for the work of art. One of the most prevalent forms of analysis is aesthetic interpretation.

Interpretation is essential for any piece of art. It gives a common framework for analyzing contemporary visual art. Interpretation largely depends on the form of art and the person interpreting the artwork. For example, a student will have a different understanding of a piece of art compared to an average person. The various groups of people have different reasons for analyzing the work of art. While the student is interpreting the contemporary visual art for knowledge and information, another person may be looking at the aesthetic beauty in the piece of art. Nevertheless, other people will interpret the work of art differently because their main aim was concluding the piece of art.

Analyzing and interpreting contemporary art involves the use of interrogative questions with a capacity to stimulate creative debates as well as igniting reasonable discussion. Contemporary artworks are usually designed in such a way that they arouse curiosity and dialogue in the minds of the people (Robert 61). Thus, it requires an inquiry-based approach for the audience to decipher the hidden meaning and determine whether the work of art is good or bad.

Contemporary visual work has effectively created a conducive environment for learners and the community to develop an analytical and curious mindset. It provides room for dialogues and debates when analyzing and interpreting the work of art and relates it to the real-life setting. In most cases, artworks are developed by artists who are considered a role model in society. Their central role is to inspire and motivate the students and the community as a whole. Through the artworks, the artist communicates vital issues affecting contemporary society most articulately. Nevertheless, they address not only the current events but also past events and the roles they played in creating the life we live now. Thus, the artist instills critical and creative thinking in students and society when addressing life issues.

Contemporary visual work is significant in numerous ways. First, it is essential because of its aesthetic value. The most significant importance of modern art is its ability to appeal and create a sentiment of pleasure to the audience. The disparity in the sense of aesthetic value in different people poses a significant challenge in analyzing contemporary art. The aesthetic value of present visual work has been used for a long time for decorative purposes. For example, decorative sculptures have been a useful decorative piece. The marble is used as souvenirs in parks where tourists and other visitors can see and buy. They are also valuable for livening up different landscapes. For instance, the use of contemporary visual work in great monuments. Many people are using print arts and sculptures to personalize and decorate their homes.

The other significance of contemporary visual work is its use as a channel for personal expression. Artists use it to express their inner feelings and thoughts. For example, an artist can use painting to communicate his experience or environment. Different sculptures are used by artists to convey different messages. For example, the use of historical monuments to express a specific memorable moment to the present and future generations. There is numerous sculpture of heroes who fought for a particular course in the history of people. Performance art is another way through which an artist communicates his inner thoughts and expression. It is mostly used in theatre arts. However, technological development has diversified the use of performance art as a means of expression.

Contemporary visual work can be used as a means of expression by the artist who expresses his inner thoughts. It can also be used by another person who uses the piece of art either in his home or office to expresses themselves to their visitors. Thus, people choose different artworks to suit their appeals and express their thoughts. Such people may not necessarily be talented artists or professional art-makers, but purchase works of art that will best suit the message they want to express. Therefore, they select artworks that the people they relate to can quickly understand the expression.

Contemporary visual work is a powerful means of provoking the thoughts of a person. It helps people to create mental images of different settings that the artist communicates. The artist can use a sculpture or a painting to communicate an economic hardship or war periods. He uses the art to interact with the mind of the viewer and take it to a world of fantasy presented in the art. Therefore, the artist expresses and comments on different life aspects using the piece of art. Museums are a custodian of historical arts which helps people to connect and learn about past cultures and way of life (Paley 230). The works of art in the museum provokes the mind of the viewers to think and reflect upon past life experiences. Most of the paintings in the museum are traditional arts that are useful in the study of historical events. They allow people to stimulate and provoke their thoughts and emotions. As a result, the museum is a helpful information and education center.

The thought-provoking aspect of the work of art is a potent communication mechanism. The artist communicates with a person in mind to mind form without the use of words or in a verbal form. The work of art compels a person to do something, act in a certain way, or align the thoughts of a person by provoking him to think like the artist. One of the impacts of contemporary visual work is the capacity to trigger both the mind and emotions of a viewer. It makes the viewer or audience experience a form of emotional attachment and engages with the artwork. As a result, it enhances an internal and interpersonal dialogue that can cause shock, astonishing thoughts, or a transformative mindset to a person.

Contemporary art is an essential tool that influences the cultures and traditions of a society. It plays a vital role in changing the opinions that the community holds and instills values that translate the thoughts and ideas of people. It also preserves the cultures of a population over space and time. New generations learn these cultures through contemporary visual works such as the sculptures and paintings preserved in the archives or museums. Studies indicate that contemporary art has a remarkable impact on personal sense. As a result, it governs the behavior and way of life of a community. The different forms of contemporary art that serve as repository organs for the cultures of the community include painting, films, sculpture, and literature (Jones 130). They serve as a custodian of the history and avails it passing it to the next generation. Through it, the community preserves the historical events and values that are helpful in decision making and community development.

One feature of contemporary art is communication. People from different parts of the world speaking a different language can interact and learn through the works of art. They communicate with one another using images and sculptures regardless of the language barriers (Kinnahan 10). Therefore, contemporary visual work is analogous to a vehicle for societal and communal communication. It creates a possibility for people to communicate and discuss different political, economic, and social differences. For example, an artist can use a sculpture, picture, song or film to create an emotional connection with a person who gets in contact with the work of art. As a result, it creates an emotional bond and inspires the person to act uniquely.

According to a study conducted by Newcastle University in 2013, observing contemporary visual works developed a positive impact on the lives of people endowed with the responsibility of providing care to the home-bound aged (Nygard 328). Nevertheless, studies indicate that students involved in contemporary visual works...