THE ARTS OF CULTURE04/03/22
I have claimed earlier that culture is a refinement of habits and customs. So in the modern, humans have gradually progressed from static ideologies and ethnical communities to Diversity. And art is a fundamental basis of this movement.
People among tourists travel to see and enjoy the arts and culture of other countries. And among the monuments are tributes to great leaders in their field of specialty. So what are the value artworks that inspire visitors and would want to come back to see Aotearoa?
People have openly appreciated a culture, the distinctive character that distinguished it from other countries. However, they are just as willing to share their misfortunes and unfortunate experiences.
The one thing that makes Aotearoa stands out is its cultural diversity. It's nowhere near as equal as some would like, but women among LGBT communities and young people are taking up more management positions than before. There's no denying the fact that Aotearoa has one of the youngest female Prime Minister in the world, a trailblazer for young women.
One of the qualities of culture is kindness. Some people are inspired by the kind nature of citizens. This has always been the highlight of community spirit, willing to offer help to strangers especially in their times of need.
The cultural art performance of the powhiri and hongi greeting can leave an exciting expression in the memories of visitors. It has that ritual significant of formally welcoming our visitors and to feel at home.
Then we settle in to having lamb chops with kumara and watergrass to spoil for taste; follow by an endless provision of varieties of apples, oranges, grapes and of course wine.
Talking about wine, it seems to associate with intellectual companies not indulging in a binge session, but a social intercourse of complex and legible chat. Well certainly after a couple, the fine line between intelligent conversation and bs is as blur as ever. But it's noted that Aotearoa may have a binge drinking culture.
Other notable features of the arts are fashion; design; architecture; city and town planning; entertainment and so on. I have to say that the outline silhouette of the landscape is a reminder of colonialism. The internal design of housing conforms to its colonial history, a reminder of its social struggles of static ideologies and discrimination.
Today, the homeless seems to bear a resemblance of the social organisation of that era.
Taking into account the local environment; its cultural diversity and Climate Change, it is natural for young people with new ideas of the place they have born into to design new structures. It is inherent of real values and contingency of local design for social and cultural purposes.
At the moment, investors are inflating the price of housing without any social or improved modification. Blocks of concrete are rising up everywhere to take advantage of demand that has attracted investor tourism.
That is why static ideologies don't make the arts and culture. In some performing selections, politics contaminate art. It is anti-progressive, anti-economic; anti-culture and art; anti-government. Their protest in the name of antivaccination is stink!
Let's say art is a natural, pure and aesthetic vision conveyed by feelings, senses, emotions, spirit; that drives the social phenomenon of local culture. Culture therefore is the expression of the arts in feelings, senses, emotions and spirit. Since artists see what others can't, the message is written in words of a song or play and carved in the patterns of design. Through their creations, artists inspire the movement of society to the future.
That phenomenon is embedded in iconographic images of great musicians among celebrities and sports heroes. We refer to them as cultural icons.
We value what is distinctively Aotearoa different from other countries. We did have the All Blacks I'm not sure; we have the Silver Fern; the Kiwibank and who knows, we might even have a bike track to the airport sometime in the long distant future.
However in the current state of affairs, our passive behaviour perhaps target us subjects of exploitation and making easy profit. And we seem to think we are moving forward when in fact we are static in a vicious cycle of deterioration. We have new leaders coming in, but they are pushing the same private sector corporate agenda over and over.
And the very people who are creative in inspiring a forward movement to the future are underfunded and neglected. So there, as artists among intellectuals and scientists strive to do something new or better, politics are often the obstacle in the way.