Many people see art, especially popular art, as a form of entertainment. They consider that since art pleases the eye and senses, it is made to entertain and make people relax. However, this notion is far from being true. The difference between art and entertainment is that art often requires serious thinking over objects, while entertainment is made for relaxing and enjoying. Moreover, many art objects are not made to please the eye but require specific historical knowledge to understand what the author wanted to say.
Art often portrays times and customs that serve to educate and criticize. Many complexities of life are shown through the prism of art. With the help of art, people may uncover ideas and perceptions they have never had and reconsider their way of life. Art always has some message which is transferred from the artist to the audience (Trnka & Engler, 2021). This message may be deeply hidden or easily uncovered, but it is always there. That is why seemingly simple or preposterous objects may become true masterpieces because of the message they carry.
While it is easy to entertain oneself and does not require any effort, art needs background knowledge to be fully understood. It often involves studying the Epoque or the history of objects’ creation and deep synthesis of ideas and beliefs. People’s gratification when they understand the artist’s message is unique and cannot be compared to entertainment in any of its forms. Art studies demand curiosity about things, which is not necessary for entertainment. Art serves as a medium between époques, connecting past to the present and allowing people to trace their roots back.
Work Cited
Trnka, Andrej, and Martin Engler. “Concept Art: The Essential Part of Visual Pre-production in the Entertainment Industry.” Acta Ludologica, 2021, vol. 4, no. 1, pp. 112-123.