When most Zambians think of art, they think of someone by the roadside writing a banner. They associate it with a poor and uncertain income, and are quick to point out to anyone who is artistic that “that is the only future in art”. As such, it has been ranked at the bottom of the ladder in terms of useful activities, skills and vocations. The downgrade on art may be costing us more than we realize.
Firstly, we seem to have a half hearted attitude to art around us. Many homes have a dusty front yard, where they would rather sweep layer by layer of soil away (i.e. erosion), than grow a lawn or a flowerbed. Someone passed a yard with a well kept garden and commented “as if a Muzungu [white guy] lives there!” It seems art is for the eccentric, the foreign or the bored. But there is something wrong with this thinking.
The very first artist is God himself, creating the context of art (time, space, matter) and then art within that context. When man is made in God’s image, He (they) is given dominion over the earth. This includes ‘creating’ order. This why we too can be creative, making roads and houses, advancing in technology and beautifying our surrounding with the raw materials God has provided. Anything that contributes positively to this order, advance and beauty, is part of our human mandate on earth. We must also be able to look at our work, measured by that standard, and say “It is good”.
To me, a rejection of art is partly because of our survival mentality.
“How are you?”
“Surviving!”
That’s how some people greet! And when we are in survival mode, we are operating on bare minimum, looking to eat and sleep and all else is a luxury. But instead of an emergency instinct, this is now a culture, where our highest goal is survival and all else is a distraction. We do not want to look at excellence, at planning ahead and setting a foundation for the next generation, we do not look at presentation of our surroundings or reflecting on our endevours.
We are infact disobeying God when we refuse to make the most of our environment, whether work, home, or recreation. We are to make order and progress, to leave it better than we found it. We are to use technology, organized and planned activity, and art to improve our environment and express our creativity. While God looks at the heart, remember, faith without works is dead! So we know a tree by its fruit.
Do we treat art, skill in visual form, beauty and order, as part of the creation mandate? Order out of “Chaos”. You are called to do that, and so am I.
And so is the artist. It is no less a calling from God. Art has value in God’s eyes – He is the first artist!
Few artists in Zambia are privilidged to make their living from art. There are the few whose paintings can go for K2,000,000.00 each, and are ordered in advance. But does this mean we all rush for the money spinners? Isn’t that why a lot of people are entering accounts and law who do not belong there – but just because they see those as money spinners? Many have not examined what moves their heart, reflects their strengths and is their personal calling.
I am not saying it is easy. But in all careers there are the money spinners and those who hear the same rumours of success we do! You will do best in the thing you enjoy most. Art is also needed for theatre, radio and television, advertising, marketing, landscaping, architecture, design and production of various kinds, etc.
With art, we are reminded that life is more about ‘surviving’, i.e. avoiding disaster. It must be filled with light and love, and savoured and shared. Otherwise, I think we are taking up too much space!
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