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Kevin Li
ARH 301
Art, Creativity, and Life
Art is an essential component to creative expression. In order to fully understand and
appreciate the relationship between art, creativity, and human life, it is essential to examine the
fundamentals of art practice and design. This essay will explore the relationship between these
concepts from the perspective of works from artists whose portfolios span centuries of selfexpression.
The nature of the relationship among art, life, and creativity can be examined in the
context of works by five artists whose work spans painting, installation, and photography. The
simple act of marriage was immortalized in Jan Van Eycks portrait of Giovanni Arnolfini and
His Wife. This portrait is recognized as one of the first of its kind to commemorate a common
contract between the man and woman. It creatively narrates the consummation of a relationship
among people of a higher social class, being that these were individuals who could afford to
patronize artists and commission the work which stands as a testament to their marital bond. The
creativity and artistry of this portrait of Arnolfini and his wife relates to life as it honors a social
and political institution, that of marriage, which although commonplace becomes a kind of
spectacle when portrayed in this oil painting. The artists use of the elements of shape, space,
color, and value all work to enhance the quality of the portrait, while its principles of balance and
symmetry unify the content of the piece.
Louise Bourgeois Spiral Woman is a comment on the artists psychological condition
of chaos and inner turmoil, which left her feeling literally bound by her circumstances with the
use of her limbs but no control of her psyche or mental state. This piece reflects the degree to

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which human beings can lose their grip of reality and feel misguided, misdirected, and incapable
of making decisions. The artist explicitly stated that Spiral Woman is a commentary on her
own inner psyche and interior landscape, which was tormented and tossed around, leaving her
feeling listless and limited by her restrictive circumstances. In essence, the artist felt bound up by
her environment and the happenings of her life, and she adequately illustrates, by way of creative
innovation, the nature of her life at the time the piece was constructed. In this way, she
adequately displays the interconnected relationship among art, creativity, and life. The elements
of texture, color, and shape and form create a unique viewing experience for those who engage
and interact with the piece. Its shape is emphasized, consisting of thick spiral coils which wrap
around the figure of a womans body. Bourgeois employs the principle of rhythm or movement
in the piece, with a slight suggestion that the coils are moving around the body rather than simply
being stationary.
Pablo Picassos, The Rape of the Women of Sabine adequately represents the
relationship between art and life. In this work, art and life mirror each other so the artwork itself
refers to the war between the East and the West displaying the very real threat of the
annihilation of humanity in a Third World War and nuclear Armageddon. Much of his art
portrays the horrors of war, the suffering of victims, and the harsh realities of violent death. It
speaks to the nature of power that the state wields over citizens, robbing them of their individual
liberties to protest and challenge the ruling elite. The elements employed here fall in line with
their Cubist influence. The piece boldly uses line, shape, form, and dimensional perspective. The
principles of rhythm and movement, proportion and scale, and emphasis are all hallmarks of this
work by Picasso. He uses his art to express themes and motifs experienced in life.

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Political commentary is seen in Chris Burdens piece, The Reason for the Neutron
Bomb, in which the artist carefully installed a miniature tank for tank reconstruction of the
Soviet Unions 50,000 unit force. This illustrates civilians who are outnumbered by their
countrys formidable military presence and reveals the significant role the military plays in
ensuring civil obedience. The repetition and pattern of the tanks is a principle of design
expressing the shear monstrosity of the force of power at the Soviet Unions disposal.
Furthermore, the use of extended pattern emphasizes the idea that this display of brute force is
seemingly insurmountable by any other coordinated military effort. It reflects the domination of
the Soviet Union and elucidates the nature of their philosophy on discipline, containment, and
control.
The South African photojournalist, Kevin Carter, boldly photographed the horrors of
apartheid in his country, exposing truths about the unjust system of oppression which many
bravely faced until its dismantle in 1994. His work focuses a lens on the evil humans are capable
of committing and sheds light on our darkness in an effort to raise awareness of our deep need to
reform our ways of thinking and relating to our fellow humans. His work employs elements of
color, texture, and perspective. The principles of design Carter employs include emphasis,
pattern and repetition especially in his gruesome images of deceased victims of war lined up side
by side as well as rhythm and movement. Carters images are striking, evoking deep-seeded
emotions in response to the pangs of war and violence seen throughout the world. This way, he
merges art with creativity and reflections on life.
In summation, art is comprised of myriad fundamental components spanning principles
and elements of design as well as form and content. Beyond formalities, art is a mode of creative
self-expression that empowers individuals to understand and document humanitys collective

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evolution. It is pivotal in chronicling the progress of ordinary to extraordinary happenings and
events in human life. Art and creativity are integral aspects of each other which constantly
inform and influence one another in a kind of poetic dance that enhances the quality of life. Life,
in turn, is colored in, made brilliant, and immortalized by great feats of artistic expression which
capture its essence for others to engage with, critique, or simply enjoy.
What is the relationship between art and creativity? (maximum of 1.5 points) 1.5
What connections can we draw between art and real life? (maximum of 1.5 points)
1.5
Is creativity limited to art? (maximum of 1.5 points) 0
What are the differences between elements and principles of design? (maximum of
1.5 points) 1
What are the differences between form and content? (maximum of 1.5 points) 1
What is the creative process? (maximum of 1.5 points) 0.5
Does your essay have a strong introductory thesis and a summarizing conclusion?
(maximum of 1.5 points) 1.5
Are there grammatical errors? (maximum of 1.5 points)1.5
Is there any spelling error, or other typographical errors? (maximum of 1.5
points) 1.5
Are you using the art works as references for discussing. (maximum of 1.5
points) 1.5

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Works Cited
"Arnolfini Portrait." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 5 Mar. 2016.
Beittel, Kenneth R. "On the Relationships between Art and General Creativity: A Biased History
and Projection of a Partial Conquest." The School Review 72.3, The Arts in American
Education (1964): 272-88. JSTOR. Web. 5 Mar. 2016.
"Kevin Carter | South African Photojournalist." Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia
Britannica, n.d. Web. 5 Mar. 2016.
Spiral Woman." Spiral Woman Louise Bourgeois Artists ARTIST ROOMS Collection.
National Galleries of Scotland, n.d. Web. 5 Mar. 2016.
"The Rape of the Sabine Women, by Pablo Picasso." The Rape of the Sabine Women, by Pablo
Picasso. Www.pablopicasso.org, n.d. Web. 5 Mar. 2016.
The Reason for the Neutron Bomb." Ronald Feldman Gallery. Ronald Feldman Fine Arts, Inc.,
n.d. Web. 5 Mar. 2016.