Did you know that every year, one particular day is dedicated to Art? Well, if you didn’t we are here to tell you about “World Art Day”.
World Art Day: History
April 15 is marked as the World Art Day, a day to appreciate and encourage art. This day was proclaimed at the 40th session of UNESCO’s General Conference held in 2019.
However, it might be that World Art Day was instituted prior to that. The International Association of Art, during its General Assembly in Guadalajara, Mexico, in April 2001 launched the ‘World Art Day’ which was celebrated a year later across 11 countries.
World Art Day: Significance
Art has remained an integral part of civilization ever since cavemen learnt to draw stick figures on their cave walls. It doesn’t matter what kind of art, but every one finds resonance in some form of art be it paintings, sculptures, or sketches. Art tends to be one of those threads that bind all humanity together.
Art while pleasing to eyes also has therapeutic qualities. Though quite young, ‘Art Therapy’ is not an unfamiliar word anymore. So what is Art Therapy?
As per the American Art Therapy Association, ‘Art therapy is used to improve cognitive and sensorimotor functions, foster self-esteem and self-awareness, cultivate emotional resilience, promote insight, enhance social skills, reduce and resolve conflicts and distress, and advance societal and ecological change.’ (2018)
World Art Day: How can you celebrate?
With COVID-19 restrictions in place everywhere, and for the sake of your own safety, here are a few ideas for you to be a part of this Day celebrations right from your home.
- Google’s Art and Culture app: Google’s Art and Culture app has featured content from over 2000 museums and archives. The app also has several engaging features including quizzes, photo filters, and virtual museum and exhibition tours. What else could you want to satiate your art hunger?
- Paint at home: Even if you are not a born-painter you can still try your hand at this art. Just print out a couple of outlines from internet, grab colors and get set going.
- Art History: Internet is a wonderful place to find out tonnes of information about absolutely anything. This World Art Day, you can spend your day on researching and learning more about your favorite art pieces.
- Watch A Movie: There are several movies which have art as their central theme, my personal favorites ‘Loving Vincent’. ‘Loving Vincent’ is the world’s first fully oil painted feature film. It’s an animated biographical drama about the life and death of Vincent Van Gogh, famous for his painting ‘Starry Nights’.
- Virtual Museum Tour: Since last year, several museums around the world have been offering virtual tours. These include the British Museum, The Louvre, The Metropolitan Museum of Art et al. You can also experience being in the Houston Space Center with an app.
