“The arts and humanities teach us who we are and what we can be. They lie at the very core of the culture of which we are apart”. This wonderful saying by Ronald Reagan reveals the powerful connection between the study of humanities and the arts. The study of humanities through the understanding of human beings in the world based from their languages, histories, and cultures encourage us to think creatively. Hence, this seeks to awaken the wonders of human talents, sharpen their intellect and imaginations that reflect human existence through freedom of expression. As we learned about the value of the different cultures and what goes into making a work of art, eventually, it adds colors to our everyday living and provides us an opportunity to understand deeply the world we live in.
According to my way of thinking, there is a significant difference between the study of humanities and the study of art appreciation, they are not similar in ways, but to be precise, for me, they have a strong connection with each other. While both interpret human experiences, the arts indeed have to do more with the act of creation and innovation, while the humanities have to do more with research and studies. As a branch of knowledge, the humanities explore human conditions through the use of analytical, critical, or theoretical methods. A study on how an individual documented his/her experiences, particularly in connecting to others. The study of art appreciation, on the other hand, is a way to motivate ideas and allows individuals to illustrate their feelings when they viewed an artwork, which helps develop critical and innovative skills in thinking. Moreover, the study of the humanities enables people to understand and explain human cultures and conditions that is needed in the study of art appreciation in able to produce great and meaningful artwork. Any piece of work out of the creative ideas expressed by an artist is art. The word ‘art’ is from the Latin word ‘arti’, which means craftsmanship, inventiveness, and mastery of form, skill. It includes literature, music, dance, paintings, photography, sculpture, etc.
The humanities and the arts are central to all human cultures throughout time. They facilitate deeper intercultural understanding and lay the groundwork for a civically engaged life. In the nineteenth century, we have finally regained our freedom of expression, and many of us became impressionable persons. This leads to giving birth of the different types of art created by many artists. Have you ever wondered why such an art looks so meaningful? It is because the artists used their experiences as their basis in the making of the art. Some of the subjects can be the nature of beauty, our culture, it can also be about one’s emotions or feelings, injustices and societal issues, suffering, and political questions. They found art as their way to express how they feel and what they want to convey to their audiences. I remember when my professor Mr. Garbin said that any artwork means beauty and it always has stories to tell. I agree, whenever I see artwork, such as a painting, it made me reasonably reproduce visual images that I was able to understand and describe through fantastic persuasions and meaningful words. Art is everywhere and it reflects the cultures we have, you can see it in a school, a building, a house, and even in the streets. Just imagine, without art life must have been so plain and boring. Depending on how people view and interpret art, it makes us understand and appreciate more the world we live in.
There are many advantages in studying the humanities and the arts that can contribute to our lives. Through the understanding of the cultures and the complexity of human behavior in the study of the humanities, that’s when the study of art appreciation comes in. This prepares you to think critically, act creatively, and succeed in a rapidly changing world. Human beings are born creative and it continues to improve as they learned experiences in their everyday living. As the years passed, we have proven the wonderful talents we have, we found creative ways to express it in different means, may it be through art. Indeed, we should be proud to showcase it to the world. Our talents are a gift that we must use to change our lives for the better. This creativeness helps us preserve the great accomplishments of the past and gives us a bright and colorful future ahead.