Blog 3

Summary of the Ted Talk Haas & Hahn: How painting can transform communities

These two artists Haas and Hahn with some assistance from people in the community painted murals on the sides of buildings that were in rough shape. They went to communities that were slums or were notorious for crimes and violence. They were painters and wanted to help change peoples’ perceptions of the neighborhoods, so they did what they could do and painted. Haas and Hahn painted huge murals with lots of colors and really brightened up entire streets. They did what they could to help communities come together and create something new.

Summary of Southan’s Essay: Is Art a Waste of Time?

Southan describes the organization that he went on a trip with called Effective Altruism. In their beliefs they say that art is a waste of time and that resources put in to creating is a waste because that money could go towards directly helping people, like medicine and food. They are say that all art is for selfish reasons, and they are a selfless organization. Southan found that the only art that they would find to be useful would be to further advertise the EA. Being and artist Southan is conflicted with his passion of art and the innate want to help people who are suffering. He comes to terms with it in the end by sticking to his art and being content with only being ‘net-positive’ in what he does.

After I read Southan’s essay I really thought that art was selfish, that if another artist had come out with the same painting that another one had created then the first artist would feel cheated. That artists don’t create art for the sake of creating it but create so that they will get praise. However, I saw the Ted Talk about what Haas and Hahn did for those neighborhoods and I had a totally different perspective. I saw that they did it selflessly and didn’t do it for the credit. They painted those murals for the benefit of the communities, and that they would be just as happy if somebody else had painted it.

Now I can clearly see that both perspectives exist in the same world. There is art that is out there in galleries for other people to look at and to congratulate the artist, and there is also art done selflessly for the benefit of others. I believe that art is neither selfish nor selfless, it is the person that creates it. Art is just a mode of self-expression. Art is just like a scientific discovery. If somebody discovered a ‘wonder drug’ and decided to sell it at the highest price possible so that they could make a profit then that would be selfish, but if they sold it where they were just breaking even or even at a loss then that would be selfless. Not all art is a waste of time.