What is art?
Art is a form of human expression, typically visual, auditory, or performance-based, created to communicate emotions, ideas, or experiences. Take a look at these different art forms. What are they? Can you recognise any of them? How do they make you feel?
Here are some of the questions you could be asked in an IELTS speaking test….with great answers!
That’s a tough question as I love all types of art and I really enjoy walking around art galleries. But if I had to choose one art form it would be performing arts. Going to theatre and watching a play is my favourite thing to do when I have an evening free. It’s where I can forget about life and really immerse myself in what is happening on stage.
Some art can be really expensive to access, like going to the ballet or the opera. Those tickets can be really expensive and out of reach for most people. Fortunately however, there is a lot of free art all around us. I love looking at different styes of architecture and I think some grafitti can be really eye catching and it makes walking around a city so much more interesting. Art should definitely be accessible to everyone, but there is free art all around us if we look for it.
I need to think about that one as I can’t really pin point a particular period in history, although I am always fascinated by the ancient Egyptians. Most of their art was buried with the ruler of the day which is great for us as we have some perfectly preserved and important artefacts from which we can also learn a lot about their culture. Just thinking about how some of those art obects were buried nearly 4,000 years ago and have only been discovered relatively recently is amazing. I wonder if the machines we make today will last that long!
I am not really that into visiting art museums or galleries, I would actually prefer to go to the cinema and watch a film. But I did end up at the British museum last year. It’s free to get in and as it was raining, I thought why not. I ended up seeing an exhibition called Feminine Power, the divine and the demonic. It was really good and I learnt a lot. I was really intrigued by the intricate masks that have been worn for centuries, some of the traditions are still very much alive today, especially in Bolivia. I would love to go there and experience one of their mask wearing festivals.
That’s a no brainer. I definitely think that street art should be considered art because it is. Long gone are the days when grafitti was just randomly sprayed ‘tags’ on buildings and walls. Nowadays it is something else entirely and huge building in some cities are covered with beautiful designs that have been put there by some really talented artists. You only have to look at the success of Banksy, and his social commentary to see that street art should not only be considered art, but also as an important function in society as well.
Positive adjectives to describe art and culture could include
- Inspiring
- Thought-provoking
- Emotional
- Masterful
- Compelling
- Imaginative
- Innovative
- Beautiful
- Expressive
- Powerful
- Intricate
- Meaningful
- Thoughtful
- Timeless
- Visionary
And negative adjectives:
- Boring
- Confusing
- Ugly
- Insincere
- Incoherent
- Shallow
- Trivial
- Derivative
- Pretentious
- Uninspired
- Conflicting
- Unsatisfying
- Unfinished
- Lacking in skill
- Inauthentic
REMEMBER, there are so many words in the English language and you only learn then though practice and patience. Read some interesting articles, learn about new places, read how technology is changing our world, and interesting stuff from the past.
Culture refers to the shared beliefs, values, customs, behaviours and belongings that characterise a group or society. Art can be both a product of society and an influence on it.
Art and culture overlap and are integral to each other.
- Art is often used as a way to express cultural identity, beliefs, and values. It can help to preserve and transmit cultural heritage from generation to generation
- Art can be used to comment on and critique society and the issues that it faces. It can be used to raise awareness about important social and political issues and to inspire change.
Semana Santa, or Holy Week, is one of the most important cultural and religious celebrations in Spain. It takes place during the week leading up to Easter Sunday and is celebrated across the country.
During Semana Santa, there are elaborate processions featuring religious statues and floats that are carried through the streets by members of religious brotherhoods or cofradías. These processions are accompanied by music and singing, and the streets are decorated with flowers and candles.
In some cities, such as Seville and Malaga, the processions are particularly grand and attract large crowds of locals and visitors. The cofradías compete to have the most impressive floats and costumes, and there is a sense of friendly rivalry between them.
Throughout the week, there are also religious ceremonies and services, including the “Via Crucis,” which is a reenactment of the stations of the cross. On Good Friday, many people attend the “Sermón de las Siete Palabras,” or the “Sermon of the Seven Words,” which is a sermon given by a local priest.
Semana Santa is also a time for feasting and socializing, with many families getting together for special meals and traditional dishes. In some regions, such as Andalusia, it is common to eat torrijas, which are a type of sweet bread soaked in milk and then fried.
Overall, Semana Santa is a time of great religious and cultural significance in Spain, and it is celebrated with enthusiasm and passion throughout the country.
I think all cultures have changed over the years, due to the fact that we live in a global community One universal about the nature of ‘Cultures’ is that they all change over time, although not to the same degree or at the same speed. The fact that cultures change is very much inherent in what exactly a culture is. In Britain, life has been changing at an alarming rate since the 50’s and this is very much down to new inventions that make our lives easier, like the washing machine, and new technology which has completely reformed how we communicate with each other, and how we ignore each other because we are too busy on our phones!
That’s not a easy question. I used to be so proud of the city I come from. It was such a mixed community and a melting pot of cultures really. But we all got on and this integration created it’s own type of culture. One of tolerance and mutual respect for each other. I don’t want to sound like I am old fashioned, but it does really worry me nowadays by spending too much time on your own online and not enough time together with people….we may lose the culture I used to feel proud of.
Wow, really? what a great question. I use that expression all the time because I love travelling and really going off the beaten track. Apart from Japan which has such a unique culture very different to the rest of the world, which really fascinated me while I was there by the way. …I think it has to be in parts of Bolivia where I experienced a real ‘culture shock’. Even a relatively developed city like La Paz, has a witches market. The market is run by local witch doctors known as yatiri, who sell potions, dried frogs, medicinal plants like retama, and armadillos used in Bolivian rituals. It was such an interesting place but what a culture shock!
Changing a culture? I don’t even know how we would do this. What I would say is we need to be kinder to one another, and compassionate. I hate seeing people critiscising others or being too opinionated. This happens a lot online so it’s not necessarily a cultural thing. I guess if I could change something about my culture it would be to make it more like the one in the Avatar films. Have you seen the new one, Way of the Water? That’s the culture I would like to live in.
Cultural exchange between different countries can have many benefits for society, including:
- Improved understanding: Cultural exchange can help people from different countries to gain a deeper understanding and appreciation of each other’s beliefs, values, and traditions.
- Increased tolerance: By exposing people to different cultures, cultural exchange can help promote cultural tolerance and reduce prejudice and discrimination.
- Enhanced creativity: Cultural exchange can bring together different ideas, perspectives, and traditions, leading to the creation of new and innovative cultural forms.
- Improved relationships: By fostering greater understanding and respect between people from different cultures, cultural exchange can help to build stronger relationships between nations and promote peace and stability.
- Economic benefits: Cultural exchange can help to create new business and trade opportunities, as well as drive cultural tourism, which can benefit local economies.
- Access to new perspectives: By engaging with people from different cultures, individuals can gain new insights and perspectives that can enrich their lives and help them to grow as individuals.
- Preservation of cultural heritage: Cultural exchange can help to promote and preserve cultural heritage, by sharing cultural traditions and practices with others, and raising awareness about the importance of cultural heritage.
Overall, cultural exchange between different countries has the potential to bring people together, promote greater understanding and respect, and enrich the cultural lives of individuals and communities.
Avatar, Way of Water
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo.
You must be logged in to post a comment.