Defining art?

[definingArt]

Hey guys, a week ago I came to this forum to look for a definition of what art is.
After receiving some interesting response i've picked out some definitions and posted it on my blog.

If any one else would like to contribute it would be great.




The simple question is "what is art"






to get your brain juices flowing please consider the following story.

""My art professor once was invited to a convention on modern art in Nova Scotia, to end the convention all the VIP members were invited in to a modern art museum after hours for a private tour.

After rooms and rooms of art consisting of metal plated rooms, to toilets mounted in the ceiling, on her way our she noticed a small room off the main hallway, as she entered she found rows and rows of cardboard boxes lining the wall and also in the center of the room. Puzzled, she left the museum wondering whether that last room she visited was a exhibit or simply a storage room in the museum.

That event took place over 15 years ago, she to this day still wonders.""

[timetogo]

art is hard

[LeanneMGardner]

"Art refers to a diverse range of human activities, creations, and expressions that are appealing or attractive to the senses or have some significance to the mind of an individual. The word "art" may be used to cover all or any of the arts, including music, literature and other forms."

So, to go with the modern definition, it could be anything.

[Pezz3D]

If you are truly interested in this question, google names such as Oscar Wilde, John Dewey, Clive Bell, Friedrich Hegel, Martin Heidegger, Monroe Beardsley, hell pretty much any important philosophy wrote at length about this question, including Nietzsche as well. That doesn't include people like artists, such as literary god Leo Tolstoy.The study devoted to this question as a whole is called the philosophy of aesthetics. If you'd like the actual names of texts discussing these topics, I can hand you some if you are interested in reading them, most are available online for free.

[dashinvaine]

Life's too short for that argument.

[Φ]

ah, screw all the dudes that wrote these essays about "what is art"
this is a question everybody answers in a different way. the interesting thing is that, if pplz all have different answers, why do we meet and share art in places, such as this one? art is media, ARTificially influenced to a certain degree. the question more likely is "why is art existing? what makes us artist do art?"

[feral714]

To quote Steve Huston "Art is your idea about the world." that def fits my thoughts well. That also allows me to belittle artists that just copy photo's exactly, a very useful exercise to be sure, but where is the idea? What makes it any different then a monkey pushing the shutter on a camera? The fact you spent 50 hours on it makes it more art then taking a photo? Nope, makes you a dumbass that spent 50 hours mindlessly recreating an image. I'm not saying all photo realistic art is mindless, as soon as you decide to make a change from your reference you're exerting your bias and making it your own idea. I think the more clearly you can state your idea the stronger and more impact it'll have, the more "Now that's art!" it'll be.

The broadest def I've heard is "anything not related to survival". Like carving a rough spot on your spear so it doesn't slip in your hand is survival, carving it into a pretty pattern takes it one step further into being art.

I like Mr. Phil's question "what makes us artists do art?" I have no freaking idea why I'm compelled to spit out my ideas and show everyone when other people aren't.

[George Abraham]

Whatever takes your conscious and attentive effort.

[Zazerzs]

this is art.

http://www.barnstonestudios.com/inde...d=47&Itemid=31

[Pheike]

No, this is art. =D

[alesoun]

[Zazerzs]

Pheike : hehehehehe , I get so serious about this stuff , even though the argument always winds up a draw in the end. The defination is so wishy washy these days, too much of "art is what you feel" left over from the 60's.