American Art [Part 1]

Artistic creation in America has always been a conflict between two opposing sources of inspiration: internal inspiration and inspiration from Europe...

From the very beginning, Hollywood has demonstrated a high degree of internationalization and attracted many foreign film talents.

Common features of American art

The concept of "American art," particularly in the eyes of European scholars, encompassed all art in America, from indigenous cultures that existed before European colonization until after World War II, when globalization became more powerful than ever. White immigrants to America destroyed the glorious art of Native Americans. When they brought millions of Black people as slaves, for centuries, Black art was scorned and stifled, existing clandestinely in the shadows or considered mere entertainment for their masters. But the survival instinct of Black music was so strong that it became a unique element of American music.

America began with immigrants of many ethnicities bringing with them customs and traditions from various regions. However, since independence in the late 18th century, through historical changes, it has gradually developed an independent art form, separate from the trends of individual ethnic groups, in line with the aspirations of the founding statesmen of the United States, as it demonstrates the nation's spiritual maturity. The unique characteristic of American art is that, while incorporating elements of many ethnic groups, it still retains its own distinct identity.

Artistic creation in America has always been characterized by a conflict between two opposing sources of inspiration: intrinsic inspiration, stemming from the local geographical and historical environment, often wild and untamed; and inspiration from Europe, often imbued with the sophistication of long-established artistic traditions.

One characteristic of American art is its strong naturalistic nature. Despite government subsidies, museums, symphony orchestras, and theaters survive primarily through donations from philanthropists, universities, and especially through ticket sales. While art in other countries relies on government subsidies, in America it is closely tied to commercialism (ticket sales).

Therefore, art is always experimental and innovative. This is clearly evident in cinema, folk music , the development of theater, ballet, symphony orchestras, and exhibitions in various localities. The government increased subsidies for the arts while still preserving their independence. The government always emphasized that it had no intention of controlling the arts. When the National Endowment for the Arts was established (1965), there was still an independent committee of experts tasked with discovering and encouraging talent while disseminating works of art.

Thanks to technological advancements, arts and culture in America have become widely accessible to the masses: Television, books, magazines, and museums have all developed rapidly, covering every aspect of life such as music, theater, film, sports, travel, food, health, education … and even product samples.

Many of my European friends believe that within American culture, there are only three areas that are distinctly American and therefore make a real contribution to world culture: literature, film, and music. I think American architecture is also one of them.

American cinema emerged in the late 19th century and quickly became one of the world's leading film industries, both in terms of the number of films and their artistic quality. It is sometimes referred to as Hollywood (named after Hollywood, the location of the largest film studios and production companies in the United States). The formation and development of Hollywood is closely linked to Jewish entrepreneurs and filmmakers.

It was they who recognized the immense benefits of cinema and pioneered the establishment of Hollywood's first major film studios and the construction of dedicated movie theaters. From the beginning, Hollywood demonstrated a high degree of internationalization and attracted many foreign film talents. This is one of Hollywood's greatest strengths, as its high internationalization has given films a diverse range of artistic styles and acting, making it easier to attract audiences in many regions around the world.

American Music: America is a breeding ground for hybrid musical styles due to the convergence of music from European immigrant groups heavily influenced by religion (Pursuism), folk dance and classical music, and Black musical traditions (with a little added influence from the gradually fading music of Native Americans); even scholarly movements from Europe were often greatly influenced by Black and European folk music forms in America.

These factors contribute to the independent character of American music, with two opposing tendencies: blending musical traditions of different ethnicities and races while affirming American identity; and attempting to deeply root in tradition while simultaneously seeking something new that breaks away from it. Classical European traditions are always in conflict with the vibrant local customs and languages ​​of America; therefore, many talented and educated American musicians still cling to local traditions.

American Architecture: When talking about American architecture, many people only think of skyscrapers. In reality, American architecture also has a 400-year history, quite unique and characterized by three elements: its multi-ethnic and multi-regional nature; the practical and innovative mindset of its architects; and a continued admiration for historical styles, especially European classicism (throughout the country, one can still see traces of national architectural styles that have remained original or adapted to the American environment: Spain, the Netherlands, England, Northern Europe, France, Japan...).

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