Civilization through the ages is the hand work of artists. It is a known fact that proper development cannot be on course without first, including civilization.
Definition of Terms
Arts: is a creative process consciously or unconsciously that seeks to express, communicates or stir a feeling of past experience in viewers about things.
Development: Encyclopaedia Britannica defines the simplest form of development as a change (usually an increase) in size of organ, system or structure. Development however differs from growth in that it is not just the physical change or increase in size of an object but a tremendous change in functional quality.
Museum: ‘Institution that collects objects and materials of cultural, religious and historical importance, preserves them, researches into them and presents them to the public for the purpose of education and enjoyment’’.
Art In Social Development
So long as humanity continues to possess a sense of creativity, development will never come to an end, hence the saying ‘life is ever dynamic’’. The artist is helping to stir social development, acts as mirror of the society. He puts down visually, through criticism, that which is morally unsound and in like manner promotes goodness in humanity.
It is common practice, therefore, to see artists report, in visual terms, about societal killings or inhuman rituals practices. These are often done in a way to discourage such societal evils thereby enhancing harmonious social interactions and sanity among the people. In the same vein, he encourages good acts by emphasizing on the ‘good’’ in the society things good are clouded in an aura of goodness artistically.
Apart from the visual arts - painting, sculpture, graphics, textiles and ceramics- this can also be archived in both the performance and language arts. For instance, the influence of drama and language communication cannot be over emphasized in the society. This informs the assertion by Dr. R. B. Fatuyi (1989), many artists are unable to remain indifferent to social problems, when they see fellow humans hurting, they say ‘Ouch’’ in visible terms.
Just think of arts as it is used to immortalize public heroes or historical events. This is usually achieved through figurative and murals for public buildings, architectural designs, postage stamps, fountain and landscaping.
More to the above, the artist contributes to social development in the production of upholsteries and cabinets for interior decorations .It is no doubt that aesthetics is applied to chairs, room-dividers, electronic stands, centre tables and many more. Hence ‘designers’’ tastes are house-hold names world over.
Check out too the world of fashion and see how the artist contributes to fabric design both locally and conventionally. In Africa, for instance people now prefer to go for Tie and Dye fabric design, batik and various other traditional designs. As if not to be left out. Various patterns therefore, exist, depicting, shapes or outlines of things like animal head, aquatic life, jets etc.
Take a look into various aesthetically designed shoes we have in our market today. The emphasis is on the application of aesthetics on them by way of weaving, basic designs, textured animal skin or leather and so on.
Glance through the use of personal effects around you and see if aesthetics are not applied to them. The female folk will tell you better the various aesthetic designs on things like bangles, earrings, neck-laces, goggles and all the likes. This is why a saying goes ‘If marriage is dependent on beauty, don’t choose a partner in festive occasions’
Finally, the artist contributes to enforcing discipline in the society through critic against bad habits and character. Closely related to this is educating the people in general terms through visual documentation of events. From the above, it well-reasoned that art represent to total development in the society manifesting in our daily activities in the form of goods and services.
Art in Cultural Development
When we talk of the contributions of art in cultural development, various mask designs for social entertainment and acts of ritual display readily come to mind. Consequently, the artist produces images as demanded by cultures and Art presents physical evidence of generations’ existence. We are able to know the existence of some cultures like Nok, Igbo-Ukwu, Ife etc through the discovery of their ancient arts.
Have a glance too at the world of religion and see the art as it expresses human’s beliefs and ideas to relate himself to his fellow men and the creator. Expressions of religious values in sculpture, architecture and painting have great emotional impact on the worshippers.
Furthermore, art provides a chronological documentation of ages. In this way, it helps in the historical analysis of global events from time immemorial to the present day.
Art in Economic Development
Another area where art permeates from time immemorial is the economy. Agriculture, for instance embraces art for successful result. Hence the ancient agricultural tools firs developed, was an art piece by man, and subsequent tools fabricated as a result of enhanced technology were designed, first by artist.
Apart from agriculture, get a glimpse of the industrial development across the globe and see how art contributes to the production of things like plastics, utensils, ceramic wares, steel, glass, textiles, automobiles you name it in short, industrialist all over the world depend on the artist for designs that will help their ingenuity.
Mention will be made also of the immense contribution of art in the world of tourism. In this regard, museums, art galleries, parks, hotels and recreational centre’s serves as major tourists’ attraction centre’s all over the worlds. These help to boost the foreign exchange of a nation. This is why Dr. Ekeada (1989), in his hand-out, “The theories of Art” states, “it is widely accepted that there is art in everything”.
Art in Political Development
The artist, in making critical judgment of events in the society, spares not the activities of political lords and actors. He draws the attention of leaders to wrong policies, implementation lapses and the worst of all evil-corruption, greed and dictatorship.
Politicians on their part enjoy the services of artist during political rallies in the area of propaganda and campaigns through the use of posters, jingles adverts and publicity with help in both print and electronic media.
The illiterate in both rural and urban Centre’s also enjoy the services of artist. They find communication easier with cartoons and other visual illustrations than news items in papers, radio and television.
Art in Psychological Development
Psychologically, art contributes to the development of children, youths, the frustrated and sick alike. It is not for nothing those recreational Centres and sports grounds are constructed at strategic areas of the nations. They help to bring sanity in the minds of children and youths thereby including free interaction among them. In this process, certain creative impetus are required which enable play to be classified as art. Of equal importance is the influence of art in the healing of the sick. Aesthetics are applied to interior decoration in hospitals to create an aura of peace and sanity in the minds of the sick thereby stepping down the degree of pains through diversion of agonizing thoughts to purposeful life event”.
Art in Technological Development
Technologically, a systematic application of knowledge to practical task in industry according to dictionary definition “is simply an applied creative skill in industrial productions.
Technology, therefore, moves pari-pasu with creativity. Hence, the designing of tools, machines, equipment’s you name it for use in agriculture, health, shipping, aviation, telecommunication, defence etc. is done by artists. Therefore, art can be seen as instrument of education and improvement.
Art In Scientific Development
Empirical approaches, through observations and test to the activities of humankind in relative to nature are science.
The later, therefore, is the empirical studies concerned with the technicalities of creative process or the compositional elements of things in earthly creations. It invariably, studies the technicalities of arts while arts deal with the invention.
The act of discovery, therefore, is art, science sets in when it is time for empirical studies to its processes. It means then, that without art, science cannot exist.
Note
The lesson from these is need for museum to redefine their goals, roles and strategies to reflect the aspirations of a changing world. This can be achieved by;
Opening up and breaking the perceived barriers of elitism in order to impact on the larger majority of the people.
- Museums can also collect contemporary items for preservation for future generations, as against the belief that they only collect old things.
- Children should be encouraged to cultivate the culture of visiting museums and learning valuable facts about the past. This gives them pride for the present and confidence in the future.
- Museums can, in addition, continue in their role of educating the public culturally thereby preventing alien cultural anomalies such as terrorism as we presently experience in some parts of Nigeria, same sex marriage etc.
- There are so much knowledge and values locked and encoded in artifacts which can be espoused via topical exhibitions, talks, workshops etc, proactively geared towards meeting contemporary needs, correcting societal ills and improving standards of living.
- Museums should promote cultural diplomacy amongst nations and people; it has been proven that a lot get accomplished through cultural diplomacy than through force, terrorism or war.
- Museums must be interested in fostering peace, unity and understanding amongst people through their activities.
- Museums must be agents of advocacy for change and development;
- Museums must be innovative and responsive to the needs of people.
- Museums must also be prepared to enter into partnership with like-minded institutions in order to bring about the desired changes.
- Museums must take advantage of available technology in the areas of research, training, collection, documentation, conservation, exhibition and curatorial services. This will make accessible and useful to all.
These and many more are ways through which our museums can break the barrier of old and assume a more complementary image resulting from its greater responsiveness to societal needs.
Victoria Chollom Madung,
Chief Museum Education Officer (CMEO)
Lafia Museum
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