I made this as a resource for the BSA art merit badge requirement #1 b. This could potentially be used in an art literacy program in upper elementary, middle school, junior high or high school. My hope is that it gets people thinking about how much art is in their lives and the benefits of art to society.

1. Why is art important to humanity?
“Oath of the Horatii”
(1784),
by Jacques-Louis David
and his pupil Girodet

2. Why is art important to humanity?
 Quality of Life

3. Why is art important to humanity?
 Quality of Life: It’s Fun!

4. “Half the Air in a Given Space” by Martin Creed
The artist filled rooms with balloons that viewers could walk through!
http://mymodernmet.com/martin-creed-half-the-air-in-a-given-space/

5. Why is art important to humanity?
 Quality of Life: It’s Fun! It’s beautiful!

6. The Taj Mahal
Constructed:1631-1653 CE
Located: Agra, India
http://www.tajmahal.gov.in/
Entrusted to a board-of-architects by the
Emperor Shah Jahan, the construction of the
Taj Complex began about 1631 AD. The
principal mausoleum was completed in 1648
AD by employing thousands of artisans and
craftsmen, whereas, the outlying buildings and
gardens were finished five years later in 1653
AD.

7. The Taj Mahal
Constructed:1631-1653 CE
Located: Agra, India
http://www.tajmahal.gov.in/
The Taj, the ultimate expression of love speaks
volumes of indulgence coming from an
overflowing treasury and political security of
that era and much more by way of the finesse
in art and science of architecture. Herringbone
inlays define the space between many of the
adjoining elements. White inlays are used in
sandstone buildings, and dark or black inlays
on the white marbles.

8. The Taj Mahal
Constructed:1631-1653 CE
Located: Agra, India
http://www.tajmahal.gov.in/
Mortared areas of the marble buildings have
been stained or painted in a contrasting
colour, creating geometric patterns of
considerable complexity. Floors and walkways
use contrasting tiles or blocks in tessellation
patterns. The inlay stones are of yellow
marble, jasper and jade, polished and levelled
to the surface of the walls.

9. Why is art important to humanity?
 Quality of Life: It’s Fun! It’s beautiful! It’s Interesting!

10. “Souls of Millions of Light
Years Away,”
by Yayoi Kusama
“The installation’s mirror room, “Souls of
Millions of Light Years Away,” is brilliantly
simple – it’s a room in which the walls, the
floor and the ceiling are mirrors. This
seemingly infinite space is populated by
hanging, blinking LEDs, which make the
space seem like a galaxy or a nebula. ”
http://www.boredpanda.com/infinity-
room-mirrors-yayoi-kusama/

11. Why is art important to humanity?
 Quality of Life: It’s Fun! It’s beautiful! It’s Interesting!
 Art helps us think about new ideas.

12. Leonardo da Vinci
(1452 -1519)
Leonardo da Vinci was a famous artist. One of
his best known and one of a few only surviving
paintings is the “Mona Lisa.”

13. Leonardo da Vinci
(1452 -1519)
Leonardo da Vinci was also a famous inventor
of machines. He used the same skills of
observation and experimentation of an artist
to come up with hundreds of ideas including a
flying machine.

14. Why is art important to humanity?
 Quality of Life: It’s Fun! It’s beautiful! It’s Interesting!
 Art helps us think about new ideas.
 Art connects us to history.

15. Fresco from Pompeii,
circa 79 C.E.
This fresco is of a husband and
wife who were equal business
partners. When Pompeii was
excavated, archaeologists
discovered that Pompeii was a
democratic society.

16. Why is art important to humanity?
 Quality of Life: It’s Fun! It’s beautiful! It’s Interesting!
 Art helps us think about new ideas.
 Art connects us to history.
 Art connects us to people and cultures.

17. Scene from a Dream by Moyosore Ogundipe (1948-2017)
Moyosore Ogundipe was an artist from Nigeria who lived and worked part of
his life in the United States. He uses classical painting techniques to share
scenes from myths and stories.

19. Why is art important to humanity?
 Quality of Life: It’s Fun! It’s beautiful! It’s Interesting!
 Art helps us think about new ideas.
 Art connects us to history.
 Art connects us to people and cultures.
 Art is a vehicle of expression, a way to say things that are hard to speak or
write about.

20. Guernica by Pablo Picasso.
This painting was made by Picasso after a village in Spain was bombed by
the Italy and Germany. Picasso captured the pain and distress of this event.

21. Why is art important to humanity?
 Quality of Life: It’s Fun! It’s beautiful! It’s Interesting!
 Art helps us think about new ideas.
 Art connects us to history.
 Art connects us to people and cultures.
 Art is a vehicle of expression, a way to say things that are hard to speak or write
about.
 Art is communication. Art can be understood no matter what language you speak.

22. “Transient Rainbow” by Cai Guo-Qiang

23. These are just a short list of reasons why art is important to humanity.
Why do you think art is important?
Artist: Claes Oldenburg