In an 1889 essay, Oscar Wilde poignantly said that “Life imitates Art far more than Art imitates Life”.

This displays an anti-mimetic philosophical stance that life imitates art which suggests that the world we know to understand is originally crafted through the artist’s perspective. Simply, art is a tool for understanding the world. 

This is in contrast to the mimetic movement which suggests the opposite, that life is represented in art. 

“Life imitates Art far more than Art imitates Life”
– Oscar Wilde

Anti-mimesis is highly useful for the understanding of one’s self, and ultimately the benefit that art has, be it modern, Renaissance, or even poetry, for the route to success.

If Art is the imitator of life, then it is through art that connection and self-discovery can occur by being immersed within art more frequently than perhaps you might be currently. Not only does immersion within art provide a connection to oneself, but there are also many benefits to enhanced art exposure. Success is the focus of any motivated person who desires to grow and become more well-rounded in all aspects of life. 

Firstly, exposure to art is beneficial for the ability to understand other cultures. Awareness of different cultures to one’s own allows for deeper introspective reflection to occur. For example, by considering Renaissance art or poetry written by an author from a different continent, you are able to expand your knowledge of different people’s stories, and thus at the same time, are able to consider the place that one has themselves in the world.

You may regard the Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci and upon inspection of the harmony of colours present in the painting, one may infer that there is a strong sense of connection between the subject and the nature behind her.

Regarding art that exists outside of one’s own lived experience, this heightens the recognition of other cultures and therefore allows an individual to progress toward a worldview that is more nuanced and accurate. 

Secondly, art brings a deeper meaning to life’s mundanity. When stuck in a relentless cycle of some kind, which seems to be inevitable in today’s society, being presented with art that triggers an emotion or realisation can have massive benefits.

Not only will this sharpen your focus, but it will also allow for space within that motionless mundanity, to let your brain develop and dream. Arguably, dreams are the basis for any progress. What starts with an idea, can only then become reality.

Thus, exposure to art forms allows for rigid life routines to be broken and allow creativity to flood back into one’s life. 

Finally, experiencing art in any form has indescribably positive benefits for the adapting of one’s mind for success. This is ultimately because art strengthens creativity and creates an appreciation of the beauty of life.

At its very core, life is beautiful.

And if art is the foundation of life, then that is evidence that life is fundamentally exquisite. When gazing upon the works of Vincent Van Gogh or Andy Warhol, it is undeniable that these artworks are stunning and deeply moving. Life is the same.

By recognising that life truly is just as art is, opens possibilities due to a renewed optimism and desire for finding that beauty in life. Once that beauty has been found in nature, relationships, and more, then creativity is the wonderful by-product that occurs. Connecting to one’s creative centre opens the mind to different angles of firstly understanding the world, and also different ways to problem solve which has great benefit within your working environments. 

Ultimately, life is an imitator of art, and there is much to learn from art itself for the best possible development of one’s self. 

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