Universalism in art

The Idea of Universalism in Art

The idea of universalism in art postulates that people have a common sense of what is beautiful and ugly in works of art. All cultures around the world share a common appreciation for artistic characteristics like texture, color, shape, music, speed, and sensory pleasure. Since both traditional and contemporary works of art share a number of elements, art is universal. Art historians have held similar beliefs about artwork throughout its 30,000-year history in diverse cultural contexts; as a result, it is not a recent invention (Ryn 1). Regardless of the time, human beings have always responded to art in the same way, maintaining its universality. It is considered an international language and therefore possesses some universal meaning to individuals of various nations. However, universality in the history of art has both benefits and costs, especially to the artists.

Building a Universal Culture

Building a universal culture can help in overcoming cultural and natural boundaries and aesthetic tradition faced by artists. Despite the development in artistic skills, art should be able to preserve and enhance the demands of civilized humans without being influenced by contemporary culture. Visual art should express values of humanity regardless of the prevailing social and political conditions. Universalism in art implies that the work of a musician or a painter in China or UK has similar meaning for people of other nations such as Japan, France, and Russia among others (Ryn 1). Another benefit of universalism is the ability of art to remain an important tool for communicating important life aspects in an aesthetic manner. Artists can express finer details of humanity through visual representation and get appreciation by many viewers.

Appreciation of Artwork Regardless of Time

Another benefit of the universality of art is that both modern and ancient artwork is highly appreciated despite the period of creation. The beauty of nature is expressed in art, and the universal belief that every artistic word is beautiful in history promotes the work of both living and dead artists in the world (Smith 366). Since every generation accepts artwork, it can be used to communicate to a wider audience regardless of the geographical region, political views, and cultural backgrounds among others. Regardless of when a piece of art was created, the universal view is that it is beautiful and was created to give a certain message. Considering artwork as universally beautiful, whether it is a painting, sculpture, or drawing, is a way of appreciating all historical artists.

The Impact of Universal Rejection

However, universality in art history may suggest that if humans unanimously consider something as unpleasant, then the world may adopt a similar view. This means that if a piece of artwork is viewed as ugly or intimidating, it can be a great loss to the creator and the society. The universal rejection of art can affect its appreciation in the world, such as the lack of attention to some works, especially ones expressed in vernacular. Universalism has led to the legitimization of some types of art and rejection of others (Smith 367). Although general art appreciation is important, its rejection can have negative impacts. These can be felt if aspects such as the biography of the artist, stylistic, and visual qualities are universally ignored. Criticism of art should not be based on a universal agreement but should focus on every aspect expressed in an artistic work.

Aesthetic Quality and Universality

Aesthetic quality of art is the only thing that matters in making decisions about the quality of art and not the political or social relevance. Universalism suggests that for art to be used for social betterment, it must be understood by many individuals since one example of art may look different from another. However, anything considered as art has common elements to every person and appeals to every generation in the same way.

Work Cited

Ryn, Claes. “Universality and History: The Concrete as Normative.” Humanitas 6.1 (1992).

Smith, Terry. “The State of Art History: Contemporary Art.” The Art Bulletin 92.4 (2010): 366-383.