Analysis and Discussions of Art Around the World, Essay Example

Introduction

Every form of art is defined by the theme it follows as per directed by its creators. In terms of cultural depiction, it could be understood that ancient art suggest more than just a theme but a story behind the culture that it represents. In a way, the creators put in more work on how these artistic forms actually define their cultural background more than they do consider the aesthetic definition of such pieces. In the discussion that follows, the Kertha Gosa Pavilion shall be analyzed in comparison with the utilization of the Australian Aboriginals with that of the dreaming aspect of the Australian ancient art.

Seen from two separate sets of culture and national origins, the cultural value of these forms of representing artistic elements shall be given particular attention to. Notably related to the spiritual beliefs o the people living in countries where they were first made, these artistic elements shall be given particular analysis and indicative distinction as to how they may compare or differ from each other.

The Kertha Gosa Pavilion and the Dreaming Aspect of Aboriginal Art in Australia

Humans often define their works according to what they believe in. Notably, it could be analyzed that religion and spiritual affiliations of human individuals based on a group defined condition often lead to a sense of relating their lives into the system. In ancient times, the belief over gods and nature are two elements of spiritual background that humans use to define their lives with. This particular aspect of understanding life and defining its meaning towards the scope of individual development could be seen through the works of art that represent particular societies and communities that lived in the ancient times. At some point, such value of art and defined condition of living in the past are brought about in existence with the current society and are then given specific value that also provides a great distinction on how one community’s belief often compare or differ from another.

Indonesia and Australia, two nations from two different regions of the world, do have something in common. Such commonality is derived from the distinctive condition of development that both societies have been grounded upon, spirituality. The proof of such fact lies on the artistic creations that serve as obvious distinction over the consideration of the said society towards a definitive pattern of creating their crafts and other forms of artistic representations based on such beliefs.

The Kertha Gosa Pavilion in particular is found in Bali, Indonesia specifically in the city of Klungkung. This established pavilion is a strong example of ancient architecture that is followed in the Balinese culture. Besides its function to the court of law, the pavilion holds a specific value in defining one of the most important cultural backgrounds of the people in Bali, Indonesia. The story of Bhima Swarga is strongly depicted on the architectural structure of the establishment. Indicating a course of justice, Bhima is believed to have been assigned by his mother to ransom his father’s soul from hell likewise that of his siblings. The Statues around the pavilion alongside a supposedly designed eternity pool is believed to give conditional depiction of the said matter.

In the course of finding his father in hell and having him accepted in heaven is believed by the Indonesians to be a sign of God’s distinction on a higher ground of justice despite the subjection of some sinners into hell. For them, this is the perfect definition of justice that humans should follow. Up to this day, the Indonesians consider the same pattern of belief as they create laws that are designed to assign punishments or allowable release of individuals who have been found guilty regarding a particular crime. Notably, realizing that the Kartha Gosa represents such value of justice reminds the people of Indonesia to recognize justice in a different vision than that of mere human-based understanding of law and its application.

The Australians share the same view of spirituality being strongly involved in their courses of living. The aspect of “Dreaming” as a form of elemental contribution to Australian art specifically defines this particularly distinctive belief. The aspect of dreaming is rather referred to as the manner by which humans are related to the gods so as the gods are related to nature. In this case, the intertwined existence of such elements in the society indicates that humans should live alongside with the system. This basically includes the capacity of the human individuals to become strongly aligned to the course of development that indicates the condition by which they become attached to their defined source of existence. In a way, Australians define their being along with the stand that nature dictates to them. Often found in the form of totems and cave-paintings, the idea of “dreaming” in the Australian art is most often than not defined to be distinctive especially when it comes to representing the strength of the Australian society’s dependence on spiritual growth and development.

The existence of the aspect of dreaming as a form of an artistic elements mandates the condition by which humans accept whatever it is that nature indicates as necessarily important in defining their characteristics. Nature, being recognized as a stronger force assigned by the gods to serve as guidance to humans is considered by the Australian society to have a more depictive control over their lives hence making it easier for them to follow the course of living that they believe nature suggests for them to give attention to.

Conclusion

Considering the value of spirituality in both elements of art in Indonesia and Australia, it could be realized how much impact these conditions have upon the bearing of the life that people tend to follow in the said communities. Relatively, the people’s strong reliance on such spiritual belief gives them a chance to make distinctive changes in the ways by which they live as individuals and as a group of people united by such form of spirituality. Basically, what makes these forms of art relatively impacting to the lives of those living them is that of the fact that they are being recognized fully by the society to be real and distinctively affective in their present ways of living. In a sense, the value of these elements of art depend on how the people actually accept them as basic forms of depiction that is considered important in their culture and their characterization as a nation and as a community following a common ground of understanding life as it happens. Being one with nature and specifically connected to the belief of the existence of ‘gods’ made it easier for the people of both Indonesia and Australia to see the real worth of the art forms that they consider to be valuable. Insisting on the capacity of these elements to dictate how they are to live their lives even indicates the respect that the people have towards these forms of arts, whether they may physically represented or may they be based on specific abstract belief that people decide to depend their lives upon.

In consideration to the discussion presented herein, it could be realized that somehow, the cross reference between cultures and the art forms that they represent themselves with specifically provide a well-defined distinction that makes a great impact on how the current generation views the ancient ways of the past generations; therefore deciding whether or not to let such elements of living affect their current lives. With art as a basis, the entire human community remains strongly rooted on the course of spirituality that has long been used to establish life’s most important grounds of morality.

References:

Pucci, Idanna. Bhima Swarga: The Balinese Journey of the Soul. 1st pbk. ed. Boston: Little, Brown, 1992.

Aboriginal Art. http://www.aboriginalartonline.com/culture/dreaming.php. (Retrieved on June 15, 2012).