The [super]Power of Art
Documenting the rise of ancient civilisations, revolutions and reformations, colonialism and slavery, Art has witnessed the passing of time; it has idealised and idolised, contained and restrained. Art has deep roots and it is not going anywhere.
Published 04 January 2024
Written by: Leonie Hart
The first time I saw Raphael’s La Fornarina, the security guards would have heard an audible gasp. It was an early Wednesday morning; I had drunk my coffee and eaten my pastries and was slowly navigating the Palazzo Barberini in Rome. As I rounded the corner, there she was, hung on a pale eggshell-blue wall, looking out from her gilded frame. It was as if she’d been waiting for me. As a student of art history, I had written about this painting, researched its origins, analysed the image and read the commentaries. But here, in person, she was stunning. Nothing had prepared me for seeing La Fornarina in the flesh - and she’s a nude so I do mean flesh.
That’s art’s superpower; it has a profound and uncanny ability to engage us. Evoking strong responses from its audience, art invites us in for a closer inspection. It can soothe the soul or make us nostalgic. It can produce awe, tears and even anger. A lot of people tell me that they don’t know anything about art but often it’s less about what we know and more about what it makes us feel. Art can impress upon us a sense of self and a sense of place, connecting us to heritage, our own or that of another. Art engenders empathy and compassion often speaking to cultural change, and in the words of artist Vincent Namatjira, art can simply, “change your life”.
From cave paintings to emerging contemporary artists, art has been an influential instrument of communication, gifting us with a unique way of seeing the world that both reflects and drives society. Art is a political tool reinforcing position and power, it romanticises beauty and navigates the sublime, it represents a spectrum of realities and it circulates as a commodity. Art can help process trauma, inequalities and injustice, making sense of a sometimes senseless world. And for millennia, our First Nations people have revealed how art is a social tool that connects them to culture and country passing down knowledge, care and counsel to younger generations.
We must also not underestimate the impact that a vibrant art scene has on a community. Often taking on the role of language, art crosses barriers and fosters social cohesion; speaking to us in diverse ways it connects us through an image, an idea or a story. To owners of The Toowoomba Gallery, Bec Statton and Niki Hall, art is “a form of expression for both the artist and the viewer [telling stories when we don’t] necessarily have the words to do so”. The gallery illustrates that when we value and encourage artistic opportunities, we trigger new thinking resulting in positive social change; art is a “potent force in shaping culture and influencing individuals”. The gallery’s inaugural art prize received hundreds of entries from across Australia with many artists visiting Toowoomba for the first time for the exhibition opening.
Research reveals that artistic and cultural projects are “profound drivers” of a thriving community. They improve wellbeing, employment and tourism opportunities whilst assisting in regional development, civic pride and community resilience. Arts initiatives in Western QLD and Regional NSW are prime examples, and the Silo Art Movement sweeping our country shows us how transformative art can be in reviving the economies of regional and rural towns. A slow walk around our own town reveals the beauty of what was once considered a crime is now celebrated and welcomed (thank you Katie Whyte, Matt Adnate and Fintan Magee to name a few!).
These artistic opportunities are not limited to adults though, pop into any of the workshops at The Lighthouse and you will experience the sheer joy of children exploring and experimenting with colour, form and word. Founder Emma Mactaggart celebrates this freedom of creative discovery stating that “art’s superpower is its ability to unlock awe and wonder!” The “world of possibility” that is unlocked coincides with an increase in connectivity and this “connection is not just with those around you but also with the self. The act of creating art [becomes] a gateway for self-expression”.
Art is visceral and rich, it “is an integral part of our daily lives…embedded in the very fabric of our existence”. With that in mind and with the summer holidays on our doorstep, I urge you to gather your friends and family and visit the abundance of galleries both private and regional that Toowoomba has to offer because, the more we look, the more we see. Art will linger, long after we’ve seen it. Living on in our minds allowing us to retrieve the meanings and emotions we attribute to it. That day in Rome, I lingered, my eyes wandered every inch of that painting knowing that I might never have this opportunity again…I am also fairly certain that those security guards were keeping a close eye on me. Five hundred years after she was painted, La Fornarina is still having a powerful impact on her audience - Leonie Hart.
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