The Future of Art

  Last Wednesday I was invited to see Chairman Jane Chu of the National Endowment of the Arts give a talk at the Asia Society. For those who are not familiar with the NEA, it is an independent agency of the federal government that provides grants for artistic individuals and communities. I was delighted to hear the Chairman give her insight on how art plays a vital role in our society.

  After hearing her perception, it gave me a moment to realize why I studied art during my undergraduate career. Since moving to Texas, not too many people were aware of my art background and I do not acknowledge it unless asked, mostly to evade that pause of judgment. How I view art is an outlet for not only creative expression, but also an opportunity to stimulate conversation. Being raised sheltered and shy I often found myself awkward in social situations especially when it came to communicating my feelings verbally. The Chairman’s words on art’s vitality to our society expose how art is a necessity. I would say most of the general public view art as something decorative and low end, in terms of the job market, (hence the term “starving artist”). But there is more that meets the eye and what the general public is aware of. Art plays an essential role to our daily life; it fosters innovation, contributes to our economic growth, and significantly, nurtures our education. Art allows us to explore and create different divisions. We see it diverging in to other categories such as writing, dancing, and acting. It continues to expand and contribute to our health by offering methodologies such as music and art therapy. The Chairman mentions Project Row Houses, based in Houston, as a communal art project that transforms battered houses in to art studios and affordable homes. "There's no dollar value that can measure the energy of an empowered community and the re-emergence of beauty and hope." In words of the Chairman, "we need to expand the approaches that we take to connect people to the arts.”

Some pieces I did during undergrad:

-Crystal Koo