It sways and it comforts, it instills fear and it excites. No matter what art has been used in, one thing that is clear is that art was meant to send a message not just to people in the present, but to the children of the future. Whether it be political propaganda to give an idea of an ancient civilization’s culture or to show a fellow hunter how to ensnare an animal for food, art, whether it be through images or groups of symbols named words, was made to help man and civilization survive. Human beings cannot see into the future, it’s a thick black void that cannot be unveiled until it is already too late. The uncertainty is a great fear amongst many. As a result, human beings look towards leaders who are willing to stand up to the uncertainty and look to them as ones that will guide them through the dark fog of time. The symbols we see of our leaders, like Obama’s determined face or Augustus’ powerful stance, are set into “theoretical stone”, establishing a sense of permanence in a very powerful tool: an idea. This idea lives on, even past death, and persists even if the face of the poster or the sculpture is different, stirring others to rally behind a similar leader or to stand in the way of the opposition. And, much like Obama and Augustus, these ideas have and will continue to shape the way we see the world, how we interpret the future, and how we see
It sways and it comforts, it instills fear and it excites. No matter what art has been used in, one thing that is clear is that art was meant to send a message not just to people in the present, but to the children of the future. Whether it be political propaganda to give an idea of an ancient civilization’s culture or to show a fellow hunter how to ensnare an animal for food, art, whether it be through images or groups of symbols named words, was made to help man and civilization survive. Human beings cannot see into the future, it’s a thick black void that cannot be unveiled until it is already too late. The uncertainty is a great fear amongst many. As a result, human beings look towards leaders who are willing to stand up to the uncertainty and look to them as ones that will guide them through the dark fog of time. The symbols we see of our leaders, like Obama’s determined face or Augustus’ powerful stance, are set into “theoretical stone”, establishing a sense of permanence in a very powerful tool: an idea. This idea lives on, even past death, and persists even if the face of the poster or the sculpture is different, stirring others to rally behind a similar leader or to stand in the way of the opposition. And, much like Obama and Augustus, these ideas have and will continue to shape the way we see the world, how we interpret the future, and how we see