Art and the Human Spirit by Robert Harris
The significance of art for the human spirit has always been that it is not an abstract, theoretical activity. Art is real. It is the physicality of paint slapped on a canvas by a human hand, it is the muscle of the dancer, it is the vibration in the air of strings brought to life in a destroyed Sarajevo marketplace. Of the myriad things that humans can do, so many of them awful and tragic, art is the one activity where we can create the beautiful, and allow it to breathe. That is why art sustains us in a world of evil or indifference. It offers a hint of redemption, the possibility of something better. Certainly this is its place in The Cellist of Sarajevo. The spark of beauty that one artist struck against the flint of a hard war in the Balkans ignited a thin wisp of smoke that kept rising, growing, and blooming, until it was eventually visible to an entire planet. It remains so decades later.
As a critic, reviewer, broadcaster and producer, Robert Harris has been demystifying classical music for enthusiastic audiences for over twenty-five years. The former host of CBC Radio’s I Hear Music, he lives in Toronto.
Robert hosts the kick-off event for the 2014 Keep Toronto Reading Festival on Wednesday, April 2, 7 pm, in the Appel Salon of the Toronto Reference Library. "The Music of Hope" will feature music by Toronto Symphony Orchestra Principal Cello Joseph Johnson and poetry readings by author Ann Shin.
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The Cellist of Sarajevo is a testament to how artistic expression, whether it's music, books or visual art, can often shed light on our darkest hours.
Tell us in the comments– or Tweet at us– about the book that you think best represents the resilience of the human spirit, or hope in the face of adversity. Your recommendation will be compiled into a "Books of Hope" Booklist.
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