Эссе на тему: "Almost everything in today’s world if done in the correct fashion can be categorized as some form of art"

Almost everything in today’s world if done in the correct fashion can be categorized as some form of art. Art includes but is not limited to paintings. It also includes music, sculptures, theater, literature and many others. For this essay I’ve chosen three documents for explaining how art helps ling the past, present, future; analyzing how modern art illustrate Africa’s development; and showing how art is a powerful tool to create a new Africa. These are the article written by Rebecca Anne Proctor, the poem «Do not fear the past» by Zuhura Sengeine, and Mary Sibande in the «I came Apart in the Seams» exhibition.
How does art help link the past, present and future? First of all, art links to future development. According to the article written by Rebecca Anne Proctor, activity in cities such as Marrakech and Lagos is “opening the eyes of collectors,” says Kavita Chellaram, founder of the Lagos-based auction house Arthouse Contemporary. “African collectors from different regions are now interested in buying African art from different regions. There will be an African art market. It’s just the beginning.” I suppose it will be the new way of seeing Africa. Secondly, art is the way to understand better our history, importance of language and roots. Moreover, the Rebecca Anne Proctor pays homage to her family and ancestors by representing herself in different ways, uniforms and forms to show the evolution. I strongly support the idea that art allows artists to insert and reflect on their past experience in order to regain control of their identity and how they want to present themselves in the future.
The development of an art market is obvious - strong art schools, a growing number of high-net-worth individuals, and rapid urbanization. As for Africa, some ambitious institutions are already rising. Over the past two years, museums like Zeitz MOCAA in Cape Town, the Museum of African Contemporary Art Al Maaden in Marrakech, and the Museum of Black Civilizations in Dakar have launched with a mission to write their own contemporary art histories. Meanwhile, artists who have already found commercial success, such as Hassan Hajjaj and Ibrahim Mahama, have set up institutions of their own to nurture young talent at home. There is growing number of exhibitions of African artists in Europe and American museums.
The poem «Do not fear the past»written by Zuhura Sengeine shows us that we should learn our history as it «reminds you, of who you are». I believe that recognition of the past experience (through the art) makes people to change many things, improve people’s lives and to recognize the value of the continent.
It goes without saying that art is a powerful tool to create a new Africa. As I have already mentioned, great potential of artists lead to constructions of new museums and institutions in Africa. Although African art has always been contemporary to its producers, the term "contemporary African art" implies a particular kind of art that has conquered, or, as some would say, has been absorbed by the international art world and art market since the 1980s. Contemporary African art is commonly understood to be art made by artists in Africa and the African diaspora in the post-independence era. Certainly it was a new and unexpected form of art.
South African artist Mary Sibande's avatar Sophie - a human-scale sculpture modeled on herself. Sibande, whose older female relatives had been domestic workers, was assigned by one of her professors to tell a story through her artwork. "I remember talking to my supervisor and saying, 'I want to play detective and investigate why these women in my family were all domestic workers.' I wanted to pay homage to them," said Sibande.
“There shouldn’t be any question about quality and talent in Africa,” O’Leary says. And where talent goes, the art world follows.
In conclusion, I would like to say that these three document impressed me a lot and I understood one more time how art is important for our life.