Sources indicate that artists can lead, follow, uplift, provoke or promote thought-provoking skills on society with their artistic works. As repeatedly expressed, artists are the most important members of the society for they help it to envision its thought, develop and widen innovative perspectives. It seems why Leonardo da Vinci mentioned art as ‘the queen of all sciences communicating knowledge to the generations of the world’.
As for various scholars in the field, art influences society by changing opinions, instilling values and translating experiences across space and time. Art works, such as, painting, sculpture, music, literature and others are often considered to be the repository of a society’s collective memory.
Music, just like art, can, for example, make life extremely joyful and can have a huge effect on ones mood. In a wide range, art reflects cultural values, beliefs, norms and identity to preserve them to the many different communities that make up the world. Moreover, it helps people to understand and share their individual and shared history.
If it is so, how is it playing these roles in the Ethiopian context?
The Ethiopian Herald has approached some Ethiopian artists and tried to come up with their reflections on the subject at hand.
Gessesse Zeleke, an Ethiopian Reggae Artist, said that art is the best instrument in all aspects of life. For example, American civilization is more or less dominated by art. Art has bigger influence than firearms in the dominance that Americans have in the world.
Coming to the case of Ethiopian art, Zeleke expressed that the role of art in Ethiopia has been, since the last 50 years, impacted by the shift of ideology. “We, Ethiopians do really have a great base and foundation of art dating back to the era of St. Yared. However, the industry has not been utilized to the extent needed as
compared to its age due to the wrong way we came through in this regard” he emphasized.
According to the Artist, the Ethiopian art particularly music and theater had, in all aspects reached their climax during the 60s. And it would have joined to the global market if that track had been maintained so far, he added. In other words, if there had not, during those times, been war in the nation and influence of ideology, the Ethiopian art would have been somewhere else in the international market unlike now.
“As to me, the Ethiopian art has a great potential for the reason the country has diversified cultures with various backgrounds but not yet well developed.
The very saddening point in this regard is that any item imported for art purpose has been highly taxed by the government thinking that they are luxurious and that is completely a mistake. To change this, we have, now started lobbying the new leadership to contribute its role by not doing so,” he mentioned.
As per the Artist, it is art that needs to be subsidized. And that is what the experiences of the developed world in art show. For instance, there is an endowment of the art in America that is subsidized by the government.
In other words, budget is allocated to art by the respective states of the confederation and this is because they well understand the influence of art in all aspects of life like, for example, in clearing any confusions, inspiring or stabilizing a nation just to name but a few among others. “So, this should be seen seriously. What Dr. Abiy has mentioned while discussing with artists on theater, music and drama was of course, a good beginning in this regard and I hope the sector will, soon or latter flourish,” he expressed his optimistic view.
Hailu Amerga is an Ethiopian vocalist and member of ‘Jano Band.’ As to him, there are a number of artists working hard to shape the attitude of the society. However, in most cases, the business oriented one which has nothing to do with cultivating a civilized society is dominating the market of the Ethiopian art. And it is this commercial one which is highly influencing the Ethiopian society at this very moment.
As to him, the acceptance of art works arranged with the intention to shape the societies’ attitude thereby lead to the right direction, is not as such likable by the youth.
The new generation is, moreover, highly influenced by the culture of the westerners through the internet and social media. The relevant art works which advice and preach patriotism, mutualism, tolerance and peaceful coexistence are not, as a result, being given due attention. Accordingly, by now, the number of artists who have the motive to come up with such art works that shape the mindset of their audiences has decreased, as he stated.
“We can, for instance, take the case of today’s movies and musical works that the very thing which is being considered first and for most by the majority artists, is whether or not it is lucrative, irrespective of its message being constructive or not. The reason behind this may be the absence of a regulatory body that can filter them. That seems why all media houses are now putting dozens of such art works on air freely,” he stressed.
As for Hailu, there should be any concerned organ which works towards the new generation in so doing teaches them to stick to and respect their own cultural values and be selective while they search for ideas or information from that of the westerners, he reiterated.
As indicated by him, there are also many more factors which make the youth be attracted to the commercial art works which has no more other intention with regard to educating or informing the general public. The tendency of any youth to incline more towards the entertaining art works is more of natural and behavioral. So, the more the youths have access to entertaining art works, the more they stay away from the constructive, educating and informative ones, he accentuated. It sometimes seems that attention is given more to such art works than to those artistic works which are constructive to the generation, he opined.
“For instance, the media in general and TV in particular are giving more space to these art works which are of no more significance to the society. And this is being done intentionally so as to hook the majority audience.”
Therefore, it is due to the hard work of the artists and relentless individuals, not institutionally that the efforts to produce quality artistic works with the intention to shape the opinion of the target audience could be sustained.
The government along with all other concerned organs should establish institutions which can intervene and influence the situation thereby create a condition that promotes art works which, in the long run, shape the general public in changing bad attitudes and stick to its own norms and values, he expressed.
In other words, there should be institutions which filter art works from their short and long term relevance to the society thereby promote and make those which fulfill the requirements accessible to the general public.
“There should, even, be censorship only from this point of view and an institution which could legally pinch the media in order to prioritize great works of great people with great ideas and message,”
According to him, there are quite many other artists who are fighting to produce constructive art work which so as to shape society’s mindset beyond money.
The Ethiopian Herald February 20/2019
BY SHUSHAY ADANE
