DISCOVER A PROFESSION IN ART


RAJIV KAKRIA
Advertising Professional, 
College of Art Alumni & Founder Trustee
‘Flavour of Art Foundation’ (NGO)

Art, the most basic and earliest form of expression, communication and recording history, was once accessible to all … is today limited to the possession and understanding of only a few.

Our society has moved far away from the sense of self ….. the financial and digital world having taken over ….. leaving very little room for creativity, making a fast buck the only reward. The emphasis on evolution, history, study of human life and emotion seems to have been eclipsed in today’s Digital Chaos.

Art is treated more a Co-curricular Activity by most, little realising that it can be as lucrative and fulfilling a profession as Engineering, Medicine or Finance. This mindset and lack of professional counselling or aptitude profiling has diverted many brilliant minds and talent to other fields.

Art, just like Engineering, Medicine, Finance etc. too has Specialisations and Branches, but not fully understood or explained. Lack of professional counselling pushes promising students into Science, Humanities or Finance leading to disinterest and stress in life.

Most Counselling Programmes guide and inform students about Institutes offering the courses in Art and the Entrance procedures etc. A common misconception is that a student must be good in functional skills like Drawing, Sketching, Painting etc to embark on a career in Art. YES, Functional Skills are important but Training the Mind is crucial to be a successful Art Professional. It is important to Learn to Differentiate between SKILL and KNOWLEDGE ….. Craft and Art.

Art is 80% in the mind, Functional Skills alone do not prepare a person for the rough and tumble of the highly competitive environment. Career Decisions should not be Influenced by external factors, instead should be Realised Intrinsically. Students’ Physical, Mental, Social, Economic and Interest parameters must be understood to determine a Realistic Career Path in Art.

Art can also be pursued by those in social sciences like History, Philosophy, English or even Botany, Mathematics or Economics. Functional skills can be acquired, social science has already trained the mind to Critically Question, Research, Analyse and Rationalize …… which form the Key Elements required to become an Artist. Not many people are aware that Art Industry has over 50% top professionals, who have never been to an Art Institute.