Art vs 21st century world

why do we need art? in an era where the competition is titillating images that go light years a minute...ART forces us to slow down.
Why is it important to slow down?
because slowing down forces us to think about what is in front of us, what is around us, about ourselves. Only when we really truly think ...can we understand and explore our place in the world.

SLOWING down forces us to be PRESENT. More often than not we are not present. How often are we checking our texts or emails, in a hurry to get somewhere, bored and would rather be elsewhere, miserable and therefore daydreaming...in each of these actions we are not present. When we finger someone for cutting us off, when we get angry when we are in line...it is truly easier to get angry and when we get mad we are, in actuality, responding by habit. But to be PRESENT means to not respond by habit, to be there, to take a deep breath, to deal with the situation differently than you would otherwise, to let the dude that cut you off go without giving him a finger.

Rothko's pieces for me allow one to be present - you commune with it, you confront silence, you confront your own thoughts, you respond without being given a response. think our own thoughts... ...wow...be present...explore your own thoughts, create your own thoughts, get to know your self. be present.