RELEVANCE OF ART EDUCATION IN SCHOOLS

                                                                                                      

                                                                                           

  The expression or application of human creative skill and imagination, typically in a visual form such as painting or sculpture, producing works to be appreciated primarily for their beauty or emotional power is defined as art.

Art education comprises of both the visual arts as well as the performing arts. For the common man, it’s interpreted as gaana, bajaana, drawing, etc and something which can be pursued in addition to academics.

From time immemorial art has been regarded as a separate discipline but unfortunately not given its due. Careers arising out of pursuit of art are inclined to be considered a non-profiting and non-career making option for students. In a society where everyone is thinking of making his/her child an “engineer” or a “doctor” art as a career is almost sacrilege.

 With the advent of CCE in schools ‘Art’ has been  given its place in the co-scholastic domain to be taught and evaluated as part of the child’s holistic development.  CBSE contributed by developing the content and performance standards vis-a-vis western and eastern benchmarks.

Schools are now more focused towards developing the child’s latent talent in several forms of visual art, be it art brut, ceramics, paintings in different media, drawings, photography, sculpture, print media, etc. Performing arts, i.e, music (vocal & instrumental),dance forms, etc have also gained ascendancy and its rightful position in the curriculum.

It’s time for parents to educate themselves and let their wards explore different career options involving these art forms. But the leading question is- Are we ready for it????? Can we, as parents, accept it and allow and support our children to pursue careers which are not run-of-the-mill?

I think we can. All it needs is an open mind and orientation to understand the nuances.

Right from jewellery  designing, furniture designing, aerodynamics, landscaping, metalwork, architecture, Installation art to ceramics, graphic art, woodcuts, video art, computer art, print ,fashion technology, sound engineering, musicology, professional instrumentalists, dancer, performers, etc there are many options and avenues.

We must remember that Art is a panacea to many ills; it inspires, it soothes, it energizes, it consoles…………..Who can forget the lovely strains of music Lata Mangeshkar sang on Pt.Nehru’s request to inspire our soldiers after the 1962 war? The happiness we feel on reading a good book or watching a good movie is inexplicable. Don’t we feel good to see the breathtaking beauty of a Raja Ravi Verma painting or the art brut of Nek Chand’s Rock Garden?

It has been proved beyond scientific doubt that art exposure gives knowledge not only about art but also about related fields. It increases our measure of tolerance, adds historical empathy and creates diversity of ideas. It challenges our existing thoughts by challenging their existing perspectives. Besides all these it increases our cognitive ability, reading skill, critical thinking and verbal skill.

 When I think about the purposes of education, there are three. First we are preparing kids for jobs. We are preparing them to be citizens. And we are teaching them to be human beings who can enjoy deeper forms of beauty. The third is as important as the other two.