man

The Arts, whether in printed form, like novels and poetry, the visual arts, like pottery and painting, or the performing arts, like drama and music, deal with the human condition in all its multifarious aspects. It is this that gives it its perennial relevance. As the Latin aphorism goes, “Ars Longa, vita brevis” – Life is short, but Art lives on forever.

Many of the Art forms, for example, tell stories, as do novels and plays, and present us with depictions of people as they go about their lives. Few can forget Catherine Lim’s caricature of Singaporean kiasuism in “O Singapore”, or Ovida Yu’s telling statements on the corporate rat race that often occurs in the towels of the Central Business District. Similarly, Arthur Miller’s dramatic expose on the pitfalls of the American Dream are clearly demonstrated in the story of Willy Loman, and the works of film giant Eisenstein vividly depict the situation of Russians under the Communist regime. The Arts, thus, appeal to ...