Culture and Art

Where a piece of art may be considered the most beautiful thing, it may also be considered the most grotesque Art work ever created, depending upon the cultures point of view. It dawned on me as we were discussing in class how culture changes the meaning of art. It amazes me that culture alters the interpretation of art but not at all times it may be considered art. For example, when the Spanish conquistadores arrived at the lands of the Aztecs their statues, paintings, hieroglyphics of godly figures that represented their culture and beliefs were considered demonic, witchery, and not human. The conquistadores not being able to understand the beauty of the art, led to the destruction of most of the Aztecs Art. Using the conquistadores as an example is why I believe it is important to stay open minded and willing to accept different cultures and their beliefs. Understanding the cultures context will allow us to discover the true beauty of what that cultures art is trying to represent.