美術部TOKYOコミュのThe Sociological importance of art 1

英文
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A paper I wrote few years ago.
Ask me any questions if you have any.

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Sociology and Art

In this essay I will first present how art is perceived and valued by western and western influenced society, how this value towards art in individuals emerge, and how artists and critics conceive their role in the community of art. By using these analyses I will show a sociological reason for why artists create art. Much of the essay will use painters as an example of artists, but the paper applies to all forms of art from literature to performing arts.

The Sociological importance of art
“Can the owner of a Vincent Van Gogh painting burn the painting if he wishes?” This was a question arisen during the bubble economy of Japan, elaborated by Joseph Raz, when billionaire Ryouei Saito had written a will asking for his Van Gogh painting to be burnt and buried with him when he dies. The bank has, luckily seized the painting worth more than $50million, because Saito was not able to pay his debts after the bubble had burst. Raz had stated that “possession of a certain good will give the owner the right to destroy it… although there is no duty pressed by anyone to preserve the painting, I am under the obligation to preserve the work of art”. Although this statement sounds very ambiguous, there is a hint from Raz, that there is an obligation out of personal possession that applies to valuable works of art.

If Saito had passed away still possessing the Gogh painting, there will be someone who might bring a law suite to preserve the painting. But an individual who has nothing to do with Saito’s possessions will not be able to say no to the burning of the painting. When the question is between two individual’s rights on a possession, the other individual will no be able to interfere the burning. But Raz adds on that Saito does not have the right of destroying the painting. When the debate is not between two individuals but constructed in a larger picture, with societal benefits (common interests) taken into account, the law suite becomes much more valid.

Raz also includes that even for a person who sees no artistic value in the painting, but only possesses it as a investment, must respect the painting as a work of art, because the monetary value is a representation of the demand of others who value it because of its artistic value. Because of this value, which extends beyond a single individual, there is a universal importance or value that is created by the society it is in. The societal value to preserve the love of art and tastes of individuals becomes a part of the value of the Van Gogh painting. For this reason the Van Gogh’s painting as a work of art ultimately never becomes an entire possession of the individual but a common good of society. (www.ethics.bun.kyoto-u.ac.jp)

The obligation to preserve works of art is created with every individual in possession with the art, not by its artistic value, but by the need for flexibility in the individual’s values to tolerate values of others. Raz had stated that autonomy needs this tolerance towards other values, and only when there is this autonomy can someone be regarded as an individual person in society.

Raz’s idea towards art and its value create a question why art gains this “intrinsic value” in society and religion does not. In the same manner that the Van Gogh painting has rights to be preserved, why do cults of new religions not gain the right to be preserved? Why does the autonomy of individuals, as tolerance towards foreign values not apply towards religion? The reason is the bloodsheds created in Europe between the various religions, which brought governments to drive out religion in politics, and have religion in completely private bounds. When peace of the country or world is challenged the movement of the government will be to drive the cause in the private bounds of society. If wars emerge between Picasso Lovers and Van Gogh Lovers of art, art will not gain the same amount of societal and governmental respect and aid as now.