ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT IN CELEBRATING DIVERSITY

For me, “Diversity” in art is a very vague concept, for art (and its expansions like film, music, writing etc.) is in itself a fluid experience. There is no scripted procedure to create or experience art. In different contexts, diversity refers to different things. Someone who enjoys listening to a wide variety of music genres is said to have a “diverse” taste in music. However, we also often hear about a “no diversity” in representation, commonly in award shows, meaning that certain communities (women, queer community, racial minorities etc.) have intentionally been left out of recognition. For the sake of convenience, I am assuming that diversity in arts, refers to the appreciation of cultural art other than one’s own.

People feel most societies around the world are heterogenous in nature ie. they usually acknowledge only one culture as its own. I do not consider this completely true. Historically, most modern countries were once part of colossal empires. Some like the Mesopotamians, insisted upon creating a uniform identity for all of its citizens. Others, like Rome acknowledged the diversity of their empire, which included most of the modern Mediterranean and North Africa. In the modern day, refugees and immigrant communities have settled elsewhere, and have managed to successfully transmit their culture as well. North America is the perfect example of this. The Black community were forced to abandon their roots and culture in an attempt to merge in with the white majority. However, modern trends have shown a more welcoming approach to other cultures. Black people in America have directly contributed heavily to the development of music in the country, like blues, jazz, hip hop, rock and much more.

The wider acceptance of other people, also extends to their art forms and culture as well. This cosmopolitan nature has led to a shift from hostility and ignorance to appreciation. I feel Art is powerful, and it can change the world as know it. As such, we need to acknowledge the diversity of artists and their works. System of A Down is an Armenian-American band that often talks about discrimination against Armenians in their songs, notably the Armenian Genocide and the war in Nagorno-Karabakh. This has led to Americans (and others such as myself) being aware of these atrocities. Deepa Mehta has been lauded with numerous international awards, despite most of her films set in India and showing the struggles of Indian women in a patriarchal society. The French New Wave cinematic movement has led to similar revolutions in Japan, Italy and India, showing the struggles of people underrepresented in media, such as those form a less privileged social standpoint.

A very unique experimental fusion genre has been gaining popularity in art, dance and music. Essentially, features of two polar opposite styles of cultures are meshed together to form a very unique result. Examples include a freestyle dance set that incorporates elements of several classical styles to create a fresh display. Folk rock is a popular genre in India which includes both rock instrumentals with regional folk compositions and vocals. The acceptance of cultural diversity has truly led to artistic innovation. Mainstream artistic recognition has always been dominated by the majority, with women, people of colour and queer artists being shunned to the background. However, since the 20th century, various social movements have changed this trend. Diversity is seen as a strength, rather than a liability. The most visible example is K-Pop originating in South Korea. While I personally do not listen to it, it is without a doubt the most popular genre in the world currently. We may not understand Korean, but we still do hum along the tunes and try our best to follow the chorus. Similarly, art and films have shown a greater acceptance of actors and painters from underrepresented communities. While we still have a long way to go, it is clear that cultural diversity has influenced art, and that art too, has led to diversity.