Because of the ever-changing consumption market, some would argue that traditional performances are a dying art form. With social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and Tik Tok, it can easily be assumed that what goes “viral” is what matters not the content. Tik Tok challenges and hashtags have quickly become the new form of entertainment. Thus, begging the question, would trending topics be considered art? Well, that depends.

Art, since its very existence, has always been subjective so this is nothing new. In fact, it will probably always be this way. Some might view the Mona Lisa and call it art, while others might refer to it as a horrendous atrocity. There have been spectators who have claimed Beyoncé has a beautiful voice, and had one the best videos of all time, meanwhile others have compared her voice to that of a dying cat. See? Subjective.

These differences in opinion are what keep art exciting and maintain it alive. So, that hasn’t changed. What has changed is how we consume these types of art. It was once the case where one had to go out and spend time and money to view these art forms, whether it’d be a concert, a film or an art gallery. With the fast-pacing advancements in our technology, all of that is now directly accessible through our 12-inch screen on our iPhones. So, does that somehow lessen our appreciation of these art forms?

Well, as far as ArtHall founders Marta Fornell and Tomas Hed are concerned, they seem to think so. ArtHall, located in Gozo, Malta aims to bring art to a much wider audience that is usually not included in the artistic scene. Their focus is on selling and promoting contemporary and modern art, whether it’d be local or international with the idea of introducing innovative art, avant-garde, ironic and provocative pieces. When being asked about their thoughts on the current consumption of the arts, they responded by saying that “I think the internet and the new world we have that is offers these possibilities, so we all think that it’s now easy to become and artist or a Rockstar or a writer or whatever we want to become. But you need an agent, you need someone to represent you if you want to be serious. It’s a question of trust.”

Basically, what they were trying to say is that art takes time. Not necessarily a 10 second video clip on Tik Tok, but a procured and exhaustively revised artwork. Both Marta and Tomas strongly believed that art needs to be appreciated for its perfection and lack thereof,  as well as for the time spent cultivating that craft. They purposefully made a point to state that everything can now be considered art, but that’s due to the consumption of it. Now, I believe that some types of art are not really art unless it is in the present, unless it is felt, unless it is heard, unless it is touched. Live concerts would be a great example because not a single person can argue that it is a completely different experience physically being there as opposed to watching it on YouTube.

Social media has revolutionized the art world forever. Thus, there will undoubtably be varying opinions of constitutes as “art” primarily because of the accessibility we now have that didn’t exist before. I honestly wouldn’t be surprised if what is now considered as art will have changed in the upcoming years, especially after this global pandemic and its effect on entertainment. The distribution of art, whether it’d be paintings or virtual concerts will have drastically changed because artists will not have much of a choice but to simply adapt or face the risk of having their art not be recognized. This is where we should help artists by making their crafts be accessible without losing the essence of their hard work.

Both Marta and Tomas, along with ArtHall wanted to find a way to achieve international recognition not just in Malta. But how could they do that if they believed art was something that should be bought? ArtHall was given the exposure and highlighted their mission as well as their work without losing their essence or beliefs. With this, a broader audience became aware of ArtHall not only through magazines but social media platforms as well. Now, without presenting their work online, we were able to help Marta and Tomas reach their goal of wanting to branch out internationally.

As artists, we believe in having our creativity embraced and fuel our passion, so what a better way than by having a more international platform full of inclusivity and accessibility in the representation of the arts. We strongly believe and encourage inclusivity by advocating for people all over the world through storytelling, without the importance of socioeconomic status or personal circumstances. The art world is all about providing accessible opportunities for artists to share and express themselves which can automatically be seen as a success in itself. Having the opportunity to help other artists by building a network within their own communities and share their newfound talents and skills with others is the first step in not only creating but also encouraging more artists to come forth, thus resulting in more successful stories to come.

Culturally strives to procure their community service through the arts as a form of creating social change on a global scale. In fact, it has created a global impact among its members, exhibitionists, program participants, outreach efforts and volunteers. Their global outreach has been proven effective in more than 60 countries and 6 continents worldwide! They have been providing a platform for artists for over a year now, and have taught more than 1,000 students, hosted more than 50 events, established branches in Colombia and the United Arab Emirates, and has already exhibited almost 1,000 works. To learn more download the ebook at: culturallyarts.com/modernrenaissance