By Clement Odalumeh
My professional engagement as a lawyer, sometimes requires very deep thinking, stretching my mind far outside the immediate precinct of my profession. Now, I ponder on the beautiful world of Arts.
Do not get me wrong, I am very fulfilled as a lawyer, and I am certainly not trying to be a “jack of all trade”. Nevertheless that would not stop me from expressing my deep appreciation for the arts. This text is just an attempt to express a deeper appreciation of the Arts and is by no means an attempt to put down any field.
I would not lay claim to any expertise in the field of Arts but my humble research and deep thinking reveal that the field of Arts is deeper and wider than what some of us easily realize or readily appreciate. Certainly, the society would not survive without the doctors, teachers, lawyers, engineers, farmers and a whole lot of others. The society would definitely also not survive without the Arts.
Comparatively, Art seems very original and to me, it appears to be the foundation of all. While other fields are largely based on study and experiment, Art is creative. Julius Ceaser, the legendary Roman General said ‘It is better to create than to learn, creating is the essence of life’. Arts, being it music, drama, writing, sculpture, paintings or drawing, is essentially creative. It is the product of creative imagination.
In Arts, the appeal to the senses is very crucial and these senses are the channels to the mind and the mind of course is the strongest part of the man. The quality of a man is directly proportional to the quality of his mind. Every man of class loves Arts. Now, I understand better why Leonardo Da Vinci’s Mona Lisa painting is currently valued at over 908,000,000 US Dollars. A ‘mere’ portrait!
The Eifel tower in Paris is arguably the most iconic structure in the entire Europe. Despite the engineering prowess and ingenuity that it epitomizes, it is its aesthetic value that makes it what it truly is. More people come to see it than those who actually use it or have need for its use. Top automobiles are not just knows for their strength and speed, but also for their beauty. That is art. Art is beauty.
Everything that is truly worth it is employs the elements of art. In art you find harmony, beauty, movement, repetition, pattern, proportion, rhythm, unity, balance, emphasis. These elements are employed in all fields of human endeavor. There is art in warfare, medicine, business, politics, governance, law making and practice, philosophy, sport, and even religion. Master the art in your chosen field and you become a force to be reckoned with.
Finally, of all the things that God is, He is an artist. He started by creating the world, and He ended by creating His masterpiece,- man, which He created in His own image.
I think we are all artists in one way or the other, or, at least, we could all be.
(Odalumeh is a Lagos-based Attorney at-Law)
No Comments