Many people like to indulge in creating art. For some, it is a soothing experience; for others, it may be an exercise in wielding artistic agency. For yet others, art may be a tool to express themselves, often in opposition to the commonly held beliefs of the world. So, once we have picked up a paint brush, or a sketching pencil, or even our laptops (in the case of graphic designers and writers), what do we draw or write? What makes us happy? Who or what is the subject of our art? Thinkers and artists have debated the ‘correct’ answer to this question for centuries. While some believe that the subject must be grand, others like to find inspiration in everyday objects. Gustave Courbet, whose painting ‘The Grain Sifters’ is attached here as the featured image, was a 19th century painter with unconventional opinions. He chose to represent common people like workers and peasants in his work, often on a scale that others considered appropriate for only religious figures or historical events. Courbet asked new questions; people like him wondered why religion could not be witnessed in the toil of the poor, and why the lives of the ruled were not part of important history. The courage and freshness in perspective of people like Courbet is instrumental in keeping art alive as an ever-changing field.

Closer home, Amrita Shergil was famous for depicting the travails of women with an almost reverent attention to the detail of their lives, instead of following the usual tradition of only painting powerful men. She chose to ask questions about the distribution of happiness. Here is a picture of one of her paintings-

We need to constantly ask what the purpose of art is, to be able to decide upon our subject. As the famous quote goes- “Art should comfort the disturbed and disturb the comfortable” (this quote has been attributed to many, repeated by Dunne, Cruz and recently Banksy). Join us soon, at The Happy Hub, for more discussions on art and design!