Art! Who hasn't defined it?

Hello and Welcome!

Day 39 of my 365 Day Photography Journey.

Someone told me once, "I don't consider photography an art." Not to debate the comment, but it brings up a very good point of conversation.

Who's to say what art is? Is there a committee that gets together and votes on all the "works of art" out there? Might be nice but then would it? Who gets elected and why? "He's good, he's gone to school for 10 years, has a doctorate in art and teaches at Cal Art." Who better? "She's good, elect her. She is self taught in the deserts of the middle east. Her expression is so aesthetic. She's ahead of her time." "Elect him, his building transcend time."

Some exclude architecture from art.

Clearly we'd have a problem coming to an agreement on who should be elected "official art judge of the world," or of said panel, not to mention the complexity in defining the term "Art."

I don't doubt there are hundreds of people who clearly know what art is. Just ask them. They have a clear, concise and educated answer. If you don't believe me, ask them. I'm not so educated to have a clear defining answer for the term, Art. I might hint or elude but that's the extent I'll go.

For some it's as simple as saying, "Art is in the eyes of the beholder." For others, "Art is in the soul of the artist." Does it get more subjective then those two quotes? Do we then say the definition of art is subjective?

Depending on which dictionary you reference, your search will be just as ambiguous. Most will agree the earliest usages refers to, "skills, craft and craftsmanship," which I find pretty broad. It gets redefined by some, as time goes along, to refer to paintings, sculptures and drawings. These were the first objects of view in art galleries and art collections.

What about architectural monuments?

The image to the left is of an art piece in Olympic Sculpture Park in Seattle.

The image to the right is the Arc de Triumphe, in Paris.











In the defining of art, is intent important? If so how important? Is schooling required? How do you define schooling? Is learning schooling? Does a professor or mentor have to be the teacher?

Art or not art?

I wonder how the architect of this building
would feel if someone said he wasn't an artist.

The image to the right was captured in Century City.














Another image from Olympic Park.





A sculpture from Olympic Park, to the right.













It's obvious the painting to the left is art, right? What if I told you a 5 year old painted it and only took her 2 hours to make it? Would it matter? What if I told you the individual that made the frame was a more famous artist then the painter?




Do I like all the works of Picasso? No. Does it make it less art? I would say, no. Do I like all the works of Tom Hawks? Does that make him less an artist? Did I like all the finger paintings my kids brought home for me as children? YES!!! Will they ever sit in the Louvre? No. It doesn't matter. They were made with as much passion as a 5 year old could understand.
We're here for a short time. If someone believes in their heart they are creating something of artist value when they use their hands, voice or body. I'm not going to be the one to say, "You're wrong, that's not art."

I hope I've not answered the question about what "Art" is or isn't. I hope I've given you the freedom to see something for it's value to you, while not taking anything away from the creator.

How about this for a litmus test. If it or any form of it is in the Louvre it's art. Think before answering and looking up what's in the Louvre, and I don't mean the objects used for display or control. You might be surprised, but then you might not!

I hope you enjoyed my blog.

Make a great day.