7 reasons why you need to understand the arts

Quarantine has undoubtedly been a challenge and a catalyst for many to find alternative ways of doing business and managing their own lives. Those with good mental stamina, adaptability and out-of-the-box thinking are more fortunate.

 

Creativity is a lifeline in a fast-paced world

 

It's never too late to start training your brain. It's like a barbell or stretching, only on a cognitive level. Exercise goes hand in hand with art theory, learning about different cultures and travelling. The latter isn't relevant yet - #stayhome, but you can start exploring the world of artistic artefacts today. Telegram channel Avangarden is launching an interactive art game that will make the art world your world: you can argue why modern art has become what it is; hear silence as Cage did; continue posting food on Instagram, but prepared according to Toulouse-Lautrec's recipes; talk to your kids about the influence of Goethe's teachings on colour in Kandinsky's work to keep them awake; but most importantly, you'll get to know your inner artist.

Here are 10 relevant reasons to learn to understand art and increase your cultural awareness:

 

Mindset

Knowing art helps you tap into your creativity and think outside the box. Go beyond established boundaries and find alternative and unconventional solutions, from the most important to the most trivial. Observe, once you start encouraging lateral thinking, you'll find it easier to generate ideas to grow your business and achieve your goals. And this, in turn, will help you feel free of routine and a special pleasure in the ease of being. Change the way you think - change your life.

 

Adaptability

The consequences of the pandemic for many professions will be devastating. The process of digitalisation was set in motion a long time ago, but now it has taken on a particular urgency. Routine and boring professions will be the first to undergo a transformation or disappear altogether. If a task can be done without humans, it is better to do it without them. In the new world, there will definitely be a demand for multifunctional specialists whose activities are exclusively related to human intelligence and skills. Because of the relentless development of technology and the expansion of robotics, humans will have to adapt to the new demands of the labour market during their lifetime. So develop adaptability and critical thinking skills in a hurry so you don't get 'left behind'.

 

Inspiration

In ancient times, people believed that the creator is just a guide for something divine and created masterpieces thanks to the demons of inspiration. On the one hand, it is comforting to know that a creative stupor is not the result of procrastination but merely the machinations of a celestial office. On the other hand, modern man has much more knowledge about the principles of the brain than the ancient Greek. Therefore, let us be realistic. There is plenty of research and scientific evidence that inspiration can be tamed and made systematic, the main thing is practice.

 

Communicating

Imagine being invited to a meeting. The topics 'coronavirus', 'pandemic', 'crisis' are taboo. And everyone has long been tired of discussing the pearly threads of champagne bubbles. Knowing how to hold a conversation and give it meaning directly converts to your successes. But to sustain a discussion about an opera, a play or a high-profile auction sale, you absolutely need to be in the context of iconic events in the art world. During the quarantine period, we have the opportunity to visit all the cultural capitals of the world and explore museum collections, enjoy a broadcast of the Vienna Opera or the Metropolitan Opera, all without leaving your pajamas.

Empathy

Culture teaches tolerance and understanding. When one analyses trends in art and understands the historical context of the time and territory where they originated, one comes to understand why people do what they do. Thus, the status of empathy is inevitably elevated. It is difficult to justify things like hatred and war when one understands where the other person came from, their background, intentions or motivation. A developed sense of empathy also helps to better perceive another way of life and avoid xenophobia. If you want to change the world, start with yourself.

 

Resilience to stress

Stamina is not just needed on a physical level to build your dream abs, but also to cope with life's pressures and daily stresses more easily. It also helps not to be afraid of new things, to see them through to the end and to kick yourself in the ass if necessary.  There are many artistic practices for practising mental stability, from painting and sculpture to meditation, developed by the grandmother of performance art, Marina Abramović.