Humans, as a species, are a peculiar one at that. A species overly aware of their own mortality and place in the universe, consequently bent upon obsessive overthinking, and because of this we’ve found ways to fabricate our own reality in a harsh world. We’re enamoured by ideas of escapism, finding release wherever we can and the perpetuating prospect, timeless in its recurrence and stretching back to our evolutionary predecessors, is art.
For as long as we’ve lived, we’ve told one another stories. Stories that have been explored and portrayed through a variety of artistic mediums, for varying purposes suited to the creator as well as to the contemporary society of the time. These mediums all have a different influence upon their audience, as do the stories they tell, but ultimately all work toward fulfilling a greater purpose. In relation to conflict and the telling of historic events throughout time, the tie both these matters – conflict and art – is the deeply personal impact both have upon the lives they touch.
More than this, art is able to emphasise the gutting effects of conflict, and engorge these for its audience; inciting empathy from them. While there are clear benefits in some cases to view events of conflict from a holistic perspective, when the goal is to appeal to people’s humanity, the smaller you write. Markus Winter’s sand art is an apt example of this through his emphasis upon smaller stories and details, drawing out the impact of these with his music and art medium to provoke empathy within his audience, to leave a lasting impact upon them as well as to teach them of important historical events.
Art is a multifaceted medium used for many reasons and in the interest of preserving accurate depictions of history it’s most apposite for its depictions of humanity within conflict, of the effect of war upon people for people. While art is able to induce escapism, to evade the weight of living, the opposite also holds true, and it can be exceptionally grounding. A necessity in many cases, for as long as humans have lived, there has been conflict and there’s also been art. Intrinsic and seemingly fundamental parts of our species that bounce off one another to develop a more comprehensive understanding of life and it’s complexities. Arts grounding ability assists the ultimate endeavour of learning from the past, of the mistakes that have been made, so we’re not doomed to repeat them.
