John Malcolm Russell, “Why Should We Care?”
According to Russell, why should we care about the art of ancient Mesopotamia?
Mesopotamia subsisted on a flood plain dividing the river Euphrates and Tigris as is suggested by the name Mesopotamia, a derivation from Greek word Mesopotamia came into being numerous years in the ancient times and is observed to be the primary proof of human culture. The artistic and cultural influence by the invading Akkadian along with the Sumerians, Assyrian and Babylonian cultures that lasted for over forty centuries is immeasurably significant. The art display in various museums around the globe refers to Mesopotamia as a cradle of civilization. Mesopotamian artifacts and sites are components of the fabric from the previous memories. They created the identity of the Mesopotamians and that of their homelands. There are things about the objects discovered in Mesopotamia that are deeply ingrained, which when confronted creates a sense of crucial materials. The objects, as well as, the people who survived through them, illustrate a rich culture heritage. The objects are not mute matter bits, but eloquent proof of the people who created them, existed with them and died with them.
What arguments are most convincing and why?
In the dawn, of the looting of artifacts from the Iraqi Museum, numerous individuals who took part in the earlier invisible areas of prehistoric Mesopotamian archeology and art found themselves overwhelmed by the requests from the media concerning information and insight into the occurrences. Among the mainly recognizable questions was on the rationale of caring. The individuals working in such areas care because Mesopotamia is the Cradle of Civilization. This reason along with the binding list of firsts such as the first cities, first writing and first epic architecture among many others, convince and provide the benefit of needing no reflection at all on the ancient Mesopotamia.
What is at stake if we do not care?
Professionals on the case of Mesopotamia acknowledge there exists a lot that is at stake. In Iraq, formerly Mesopotamia, there is the preservation of the traces of the initial family of hunting and gathering, which roamed the Cradle of Civilization, the initial villagers who conceived herding and farming in order to exist in one location along with irrigation for the purposes of living in anyplace, religion, writing and the concepts of cities, civic duty, civilization, architecture among many others, all came about from the ancient Mesopotamia. The current civilization being enjoyed by individuals was a discovery from the practices and culture of the Mesopotamians. Consequently, this highlights the countless aspects that are at stake.
What is the role of the art object in Russell’s formulation of why we should care about the art of ancient civilizations?
The fundamental aspect in the prevention of a globe with empty vessels lies in the archeological procedures and studies of the ancient items. The role of art objects such as skeletons of previous civilizations, the artifacts and antiquities discovered during the archaeological excavations is on the presentation of proof culture and history. Without such objects, human beings are devoid of culture and history and consequently are in danger of becoming dead men. The objects link history with the present occurrences.
Do you agree with this assessment?
The assessment is essentially crucial for the modern Iraq. It is observed that nothing concerning the current and future of a country remains if its history is lost. Iraqis draw from the diversity and depth of their rich heritage for common attributes, which classify them as a nation and a people. Nevertheless, the cultural diversity of the Iraqi people is not new. The contemporary regional divisions correspond almost to the ancient divisions, which after some time formed a common culture.
References
John Malcolm Russell, “Why Should We Care?” Art Journal 62/4 (2003): 22-29
O’Sullivan, B., Goerzen, J., & Stewart, D. (2009). Real world Haskell. Sebastopol, CA: O’Reilly.
Wittgenstein, L., Anscombe, G. E. M., Hacker, P. M. S., & Schulte, J. (2009). Philosophische Untersuchungen =: Philosophical investigations. Chichester, West Sussex, U.K: Wiley- Blackwell.
