The Arts and the Human Spirit essay 
People have been searching the ways of freeing the human spirit in any country and any regime. Usually, such practice has been connected with arts and music. One assumes these are the two major features that are the result of a constant search and expression of the human spirit in creativity. Moreover, in modern developed countries artists and scholars attempt to investigate the factors that impact on individuality and spirituality. For instance, the works by Durham argue about the connections of spirituality with the cultural heritage and social factors. Moreover, studies by Plate investigate the cultural history and reveal cross-cultural aspects of the manifestation of the human spirit. One regards their works to be significant in terms of enlisting the sources for human creativity and spirit. Thus, the given paper argues with the social factors that impact on creativity. Furthermore, it dwells on the aspects that foster and restrain the development or the actualization of the human spirit in arts. Consequently, one presumes that he or she may apply the artistic knowledge and experiences in fostering creativity and spirituality in ordinary life.
Creativity and the Society
First, one should state that it is impossible to detach the art from the society due to the social nature of a human. Thus, any artist seeks his spirit through the reflection of the world through one’s social framework. Moreover, there are factors of the individual nature that impact on the social shaping of a personality. For instance, experts argue about the role of loneliness, spirituality, dogmas on the artist’s subjective reflections. Moreover, they also discuss the role of the social factors such as power, labels and social resistance in shaping the personality.
Furthermore, some scholars consider loneliness to be one of the factors that impact the artist’s inspiration. For instance, Dunham claims that the isolation of the artist is different from the loneliness of the average person because “creation begins in silence”. In this respect, the artist’s loneliness might be explained as the natural process for any creative activity. One regards this is the natural need assuring the concentration and deeper inner view. Consequently, it states that artists tend to seek the motivation and inspiration inside more than outside. One may explain fact by a simple situation of a group of artists working on a plein air. Despite the fact the artists depict the same view they choose different colors, make accents on various points as they believe them to be the most important. Moreover, they may use different shapes and depict the view from different angles. Thus, an artist shapes the objective reality in his special way. That is why he or she needs more inner reflection that is different from loneliness. Additionally, there are claims that objects created by artists may bear more than just the image and shape. Thus, Miles gives the example of the icons in Christianity claiming these artworks possess inner powers. Of course, pictures and canvases are not icons but they surely bear the meaning that may influence the mood of the observer. That is why one may talk about the importance of arts in the social life.
Consequently, the artist’s isolation might arise from the self-detachment from the rest of the society. This self-detachment is the opposition of “we” and “them”. Such resistance is natural for the human mind as there always has an opposition of social and cultural groups. Likewise, the detachment may come from the public rejection or misunderstanding of the artist’s works. On the opposite, this might be the reason for the artist to think that he or she is superior to the others. In fact, such ideas are wrong because one cannot regard the difference in thinking as the opposition. However, such negative statements from the artists might result in public rejection. Additionally, there is a problem of understanding the abstract art hat might also lead to the negative response of the society. The reason for this is that one may be unable to explain too vague images of the contemporary abstract artists. For instance, Lowry states that “if there is little in the artist’s mind when he is creating the image … the viewer will be disinterested”. That is why the artist should keep the balance of the connection with the society and the expression of his inner world.
Furthermore, one’s creative life is more the way of addressing various exterior issues as Dunham sees it. This statement is true especially when addressing different cultures. For instance, Christian art is different from the Islamic or Buddhist’s because of the differences in the social shapes and their content. Consequently, it is not easy to understand some religious artworks and ideas. For instance, comprehending such phrases as “Nun, and by the Pen!” proposed by Plate is difficult for western people. These misunderstandings occur because the detachment of the social and cultural context prevents the correct interpretation of such issues. Moreover, each culture has problems that unite its artwork in a single cultural layer. Thus, various artworks bring different views of the artist addressing the exterior problems. Creativity, in this sense, is the way of addressing and resolving the problem. Furthermore, one presumes most human cultures, especially of the early civilizations, depend on spirituality. Being the source of the inspiration, spirituality additionally boosts one’s creative motivation and inspiration. People of the past created the most prominent artworks of the human culture such as the temple of Artemis or Taj Mahal on the basis of religious-spiritual motives. However, one of the modern points of view is that spirituality is not always religion. For instance, modern person can practice mediation to achieve the inner tranquility and focus the inner energetic potential. Thus, any artist seeks one’s individual spiritual force that is the source of his or her creativity.
At the same time, one should mention that the art is in a deep connection with the other human needs. Thus, one has to mention the hierarchy of needs by Maslow. The stages of this “pyramid” are such needs as biological, safety, love and belongingness, esteem and self-actualization. Consequently, the safety and belongingness assure the actualization of the aesthetic needs. That is why any artist seeks for comfort that Dunham describes as beauty and safety.
Furthermore, there are factors that might influence the deterioration of one’s creativity. One presumes these factors are the results of the “artist’s loneliness”. Among them are self-indulgence and subconscious sabotage. For instance, Dunham claims that self-indulgence blocks the creativity. Indeed, if the artist is drowned into one’s own mind most of the time, he or she deliberately narrows the world to one’s personality. However, the personality is just a prism to reflect the outer world. Thus, the idea that “the more you look to the others, the clearer your own position in relation to them will become” is correct. Thus, one should practice the approach of deliberately limited self-indulgence not to become detached from the society. However, the extreme self-indulgence might lead to the subconscious sabotage. For example, Dunham states “the subconscious mind is committed to self-fulfilling prophecies and dutifully creates them every chance it gets”. Thus, one should seek the inspiration in his or her inner world and reject possible negative and unproductive ideas.
Next, one should answer the question what can be defined a success in the life of the artist. Usually, people tend to connect success with the achievements. However, Dunham views success as a process of doing art and not the result. Of course, creativity leads the artist to the artworks and exhibitions and so on. However, one should notice that creativity emerges when a person is busy solving some tasks. Consequently, the result of the activity is followed by the immediate decline of creativity since the task is completed. Furthermore, it is the working process that might bring motivation and inspiration. Artists may feel elevated throughout the process of creation of the artwork. However, one presumes the individual feels elevation from the success of the completed artwork for much shorter time. This is just the piqué that leads to the rapid loss of creativity. Thus, in order to support creativity one requires constant problem solving and being busy with artistic work. In this respect Dunham states that people are always hungry but the question is to find the goal of their hunger. Thus, people are always willing to create. The problem might arise in finding the most beneficial activity for a person. That is how one finds and develops the individual style. In particular cases it might take years but a person benefits by enhancing one’s potential and making individual progress. What is more, this search never stops as the stop means the loss of creativity, degradation and failure.
Consequently, the described ideas open a broad perspective for self-work in the sphere of creativity and human spirit. Furthermore, one might seek the sources for self-development in national cultures and religious legacy. For instance, Morgan argues that the image of Christ might change through the transition of this concept via various cultures. Thus, the African, the Middle Eastern and the Sallman’s versions of Christ possess the features that refer to different countries. Furthermore, miles argue that even one religion may bear different concepts. For example, Eastern Christianity worships icons whereas Western one values statues and so on. Furthermore, the artists doubt such things as the dogmatic postulates such as the nakedness and sexuality of Christ or the name of God. One should note this is not a sin but the curiosity about the state of the things around. This curiosity is one of the reasons for the artists to be different from the others. Likewise, Islam is more strict and dogmatic religion that prohibits worshiping idols and images. That is why the Muslims have found their way of creative expression in writing. Consequently, the Islamic calligraphy is not just handwriting but the art of artistic encryption. As Grabar says, writing is an expression of the object. That is why a written word has some energy in it as icons or religious statues. Furthermore, the Chinese or Japanese cultures have different values and concepts of creativity. One can explore it considering Zen Garden that is an art in the natural and static setting. In this respect, Hollborn argues that its distinctive feature is asymmetry. This concept is completely different from the symmetric postulates of the Western art. Consequently, more dogmatic religions have to preserve their culture from the blend with the international ones. One can experience this being an international student. However, the power of the national culture is strong and the international students value and enrich their cultures.
Conclusion
On the basis of the analyzed information one concludes that creativity and spirituality are the two important factors is the human’s life. Usually, people connect them with the artistic experience. Thus, the analysis of the factors that impact the artistic creativity helps to understand its role in the ordinary life. For instance, one should consider such factors as spirituality and self-detachment in order to seek inner inspiration. At the same time, the over usage of self-detachment approach might lead to social resistance and isolation. Furthermore, one should consider that success in the art is not the result but the process. Thus, one would benefit more from the activity that is pleasant for him or her rather than from the result. Consequently, one should never stop being creative because creativity and spirituality requires constant movement. Likewise, one may apply the described framework of the artists’ creativity and spirituality to the regularly life. Such approach would enhance the understanding of the individual role in the society and lead to creativity and happiness.
