this is very cool! i am honored to be a part of this group! you've reminded me of something i haven't thought of in a while (thanks!) and that is the power of art touching us, waking up a dormant or even new aspect of self, eliciting emotion in us... and that we can come together or feel similar things through art. in a world of mass produced "art" that you can buy at a big box stores (not really art, mostly!)... the production of "true art"... by people who are feeling things making it and not just doing it to produce something... really strikes me. i listened to a song yesterday that gave me all the feels... it's something to strive for a think.. to touch ourselves and share that and perhaps others will be touched too.

i'm not sure if it's across cultures as we have such different perceptions... but i do think that the emotions that are brought up are ones we all have.. humans feel all over the world and so i think it's an interesting question.. one that would be cool to observe over a period of time or even interview people of different cultures to see their reaction to what one culture values as art :)