UNITY IN DIVERSITY: REFLECTIVE PAPER ON MURALI’S ‘CULTURAL BALANCE’

BRUM, NICOLAS G.

A72-GED108 (ART APPRECIATION)

Cultural Balance (2010) by Murali Surya

oil on canvas
 1. What culture is the piece of art about? What did you learn about the culture

from this art?

The artwork entitled, “Cultural Balance” is a modern abstract art created by an

Australian artist named Murali Surya in 2010. The theme of the painting is intently a

representation of the cultural diversity of India with its wide-ranging ethnicities,

languages, and traditions. It highlights the depiction of the stewpots being held by the

women in dupatta (an Indian scarf) as a symbolism for balance and unity in the midst of

differences in terms of the different aspects of Indian cultural dynamics. The human

subjects in the painting were emphasized on the account of their togetherness against a

faded backdrop of which I might personally interpret as the adversities and challenges

surrounding these women. It is precisely the multicultural representation of a unified

Indian identity that personally immersed me to the dynamics of cultural diversity and the

importance of unity and harmony in today’s global society as we move forward towards

the next chapter of the human civilization.

2. How did the piece of art change the ways you understand yourself and

others?

The “Cultural Balance” painting widened my perspective on the multicultural

dynamics of the global society as we know it in our contemporary world. It served me to

elevate the importance of finding common ground and joining forces together with

others, even as one commemorates different traditions and exhibits a cultural identity

unique to another. As we conscientiously strive to achieve interconnectedness across

the entire span of the globe, I learned to genuinely understand the different forms of
cultural, social, and political norms and endeavor a unifying struggle for progress and

development of our communities and societies.

3. Reflecting on the example piece of art you chose, what do you think are the

roles that art plays in intercultural understanding and multicultural

societies?

As we go on with the development of our contemporary worldwide structure into

a more globally integrated form across its different aspects, nothing else could be as

crucially important as the contemporary arts with its various multicultural forms in the

human history as we know it. The distinctive expressions and styles of today’s artworks

compel us to carefully understand an abundance of cultures and traditions, with the

intent of bringing forth unity and harmony in the midst of diversity. In addition, such

intercultural understanding is vital in creating a society that is compassionate, inclusive,

and sustainable for every human, regardless of their gender, race, religion, and

perspectives in life. (Bianchi, 2011) Finally, enabling the exchange of artistic ideas and

minds promotes the human right to freely express their sentiments and connect with

others, thereby reassuring ourselves that the fire of humanity is burning bright and

democracy never dies. (Yared & Taha, 2015)

REFERENCES

[1] Bianchi, J. (2011, June 12). Intercultural identities: Addressing the global dimension

through art education. International Journal of Art and Design Education, 30(2),

pp. 279-292. Retrieved March 31, 2023, from

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1476-8070.2011.01697.x.

[2] Surya, M. (2010, May 16). Cultural Balance. Retrieved March 31, 2023, from

https://fineartamerica.com/featured/cultural-balance-murali.html.

[3] Yared, T.Y. & Taha, H.Y. (2015, February 13). The role of multicultural art education

in a cultural diversified society. University of Gothenburg. Retrieved March 31,

2023, from

https://gupea.ub.gu.se/bitstream/2077/38262/1/gupea_2077_38262_1.pdf.