Hauser: The Relationship Between Art And Culture

Today's Art is challenging. This is due to the effect of the diverse world around us. For this reason, Contemporary Art cannot be defined by a singular visual characteristics, theme or one cultural or social issue. Today's Artists take inspiration from the world around them that shapes their experiences and their acquired knowledge. Arnold Hauser states that artworks are " determined by nature and culture, geography and race, time and place, biology and psychology and economic and social class". These elements can be applied individually or mixed together. A work of art tends to express divergent meanings. According to Hauser, a work of art is communication. Thus, the meaning of a piece of art depends on the context in which the artwork occurs and in conjunction with the artist's objectivity. Hauser believes that this is how spectators can understand the meaning of a

This is a statement I conquer with. In my opinion, Art utters emotions especially with the expressional freedom that Today's Art has available. Contemporary Art requires knowledge of the context and culture, in order for the Artist to communicate effectively his message. The artist expresses his thoughts, feelings and ideas in a way that can be transmitted through their Artworks to the audience. Accordingly, enriching their experiences. The context of the work of art is essential for the spectator to comprehend the thought behind the artists' interpretation. Dewey argues that one may not know how to interpret a work of art but can understand its meaning. It is like getting to know a new person. One may have just met the person, but one can understand the significance of a smile because of one's knowledge that derives from the society and culture they are surrounded with.Hence, it is the same with Contemporary art. Once one acquire the artists' interpretation, it can be understood through their knowledge of context and