Culture and society

a) kultúra a umenie v meste a na vidieku (múzeá, výstavy, divadlá, kiná, koncerty, cirkus,
tanec)

Culture is a broader term than art because it includes not only all the forms of art but also other
manifestations of human activity which have become a vital part of our social life – such as fashion,
customs and traditions, religion, eating habits, education, commercial music, movies and so on.

Arts can be divided into several forms of art, such as:

a/ Visual arts – they include painting, sculpture and photography. Painters use different techniques
such as oil painting, water colours, pen or pencil drawing etc. They can paint portraits, landscapes, still
life pictures or abstract paintings. Sculptors use different materials to make statues which are usually
made of bronze, sandstone, marble or less traditional materials such as glass or ice. The masterpieces
of fine arts are exhibited in galleries and museums.

b/ Music – can be divided into classical and modern music. Typical examples of classical music are
symphonies, piano, violin or string concerts, sonatas, operas and so on. Modern music genres are for
instance jazz, rock, pop, hip-hop, metal or punk. Another music genre is folk music which is more
popular in the countryside than in big cities. Fans of music can visit a large number of cultural events
such as opera performances, concerts given by philharmonic orchestras, concerts of popular music, or
music festivals.

c/ Performing arts include dancing, playing musical instruments, acting on a theatre stage, singing or
ballet. Performing artists do not usually create works of art but they perform a dramatic or musical
work for an audience. In other words, they usually perform works of art which have been created by
other artists, for example composers or playwrights.

d/ Literature consists of literary works of different genres such as poetry, drama or prose. The most
popular genres are novels, short stories, romantic or detective novels, poems, tragedies or comedies
written by famous writers – novelists, playwrights or poets.

e/ Film is a relatively young form of art which has gained a world-wide popularity since the beginning
of the 20th century. Back then, if people wanted to see a movie, they had to go to the cinema. Later on,
with the invention of TV, videotapes, DVDs and most recently computers, films became even more
popular as people could watch them in the comfort of their homes. The most popular film genres are
comedies, romantic movies, detective or historical films, psychological dramas, action movies,
thrillers or science fiction movies.

b) obľúbená oblasť kultúry a umenia (žánre, osobnosti)

When we compare different cultural events in cities and in the countryside, we can say that cultural
life is usually more varied and richer in cities. City dwellers can choose from art exhibitions in
galleries or museums, they can go to concerts and music clubs, they can go to the theatre or to the
cinema on a regular basis. On the other hand, people living in villages are more interested in
traditional folk art such as folk dance, folk music, ceramics etc. Music festivals, especially summer
festivals, and film festivals are attended by people from different parts of the country. For example in
Slovakia we have annual cultural events such as Cultural Summer, Bratislava Music Festival or The
Jazz Days and also summer music festivals such as Pohoda, Hodokvas etc.
 c) návšteva kultúrneho podujatia

While some people prefer home entertainment, others are keen on visiting cultural events where they
can meet also other people with the same interests. Whether we go to museums, galleries, cinemas or
theatre performances, we should not disturb other people and we should respect the social etiquette.
For example, when we go to a theatre performance, we should turn off our mobile phones, we should
not speak during the performance and we should be dressed in formal clothes. Needless to say, we
have to arrive in time. The main differences between a theatre performance and watching movies in
the cinema are for example that when you go to the cinema, you don´t have to care about the dress
code, you can wear casual clothes and you can eat popcorn or drink Coke during the film which would
be quite inappropriate in the theatre. Moreover, theatre performances are usually interrupted by one or
two breaks and at the end of the performance the audience applaud to show their enjoyment and
appreciation of the actors´ performance.

In my opinion, also in the age of modern technologies art hasn´t lost its importance. Different works of
art can please our senses and enrich our inner life. Art can be seen also as a means of communication
between the artist and the audience. Artists can express their emotions and ideas through creating
works of art and they can make people see the world from different points of view. Reading books,
watching theatre performances or artistic films and learning about different works of art as they
appeared in our history can broaden our horizons and it can also help us learn a lot about other cultures
or about life in different historical periods.

d) hudobné, filmové, divadelné a folklórne festivaly, atmosféra

Music festivals usually last for a few days and visitors have a unique opportunity to see different
musicians, singers or music bands. There are different stages so the visitors can choose which
performance or concert they want to watch. But music festivals are not only about music itself but also
about meeting new people and enjoying a special atmosphere. People can dance and have fun till late
at night or early morning, they can sleep in tents, buy drinks and refreshment and they usually leave
music festivals full of new experience and inspiration.

Film festivals are usually dedicated to a specific topic, to a film production of certain countries or they
can be a tribute to the work of film directors whose innovative ways of filmmaking have influenced
the history of film industry but they can be also dedicated to alternative subcultures or movies made
by students. Film festivals offer us a unique opportunity to see not only commercial blockbusters but
also films which are not presented in cinemas or broadcasted on TV. Furthermore, we can also take
part in discussions with other visitors and in some cases also with film directors or actors.

e) ďalšie druhy umenia

The world of art has been developing for many centuries and so it is not surprising that in each
historical period the criteria for what is art can change quite dramatically. For example abstract
painting, pop art, experimental literary styles, or conceptual art of the 20 th century would not be
accepted a few centuries ago. Even today, new forms of art might be emerging, graffiti and street art
being just two examples. For some people, graffiti will always remain just an act of vandalism but for
others it might be a new form of art which allows people to express their ideas and personality. It is
hard to deny the real aesthetic value of the works created by famous or anonymous graffiti artists.
Similarly, if you go to the city centres of all European capitals, you can encounter a lot of different
street performers, such as buskers, amateur painters or musicians or other performers whose
performances contribute to the atmosphere of the city life.
Modern technologies have a huge impact on the development of art. Nowadays, music can be created
with the help of various computer programs, films can include all kinds of special visual effects and
thanks to the Internet people can have an easy and immediate access to all the famous paintings, works
of literature, or masterpieces of well-known music composers without leaving their homes.