What is Art?
Self expression. Observance. Opinion. Perspective. All are major parts of art. Art can be anything you want it to be. From the Nike of Samothrace to Duchamp’s Fountain both are considered to be some of the greatest works of art in the world.
Self expression continues to be the first idea that pops into my mind when I think of art. Artists can put anything they want to on a canvas, but I believe that there is often some other meaning behind the colors and brushstrokes. It is not always meant to just look pretty. The colors in a painting can send messages of what the artist is going through or previous life experiences. They can also conjure up different feelings and emotions. For example the simple color blue can evoke a sense of melancholy or calmness and red can be love or anger. Texture can also bring up different feelings. If there are hard strokes and scratches I feel anger. If the brush strokes blend into the next and there is a flow to the piece, it is a whole new experience. These various techniques and styles allow the viewer to feel what the artist wants them to experience.
Art is also observance. Everyone sees art in a different light than the person standing next to them and many works of art can be interpreted differently. Some may understand the ready-made and the social commentary Duchamp was implying with the Fountain and others just see a urinal and question the sanity of Duchamp himself. These observances often run into opinion as explained above. Whether a person enjoys a painting or piece of art or hates it, the artist intended to create something that would cause conflicting ideas. These opinions can sometimes be guided by the artist as well. They want to lead your mind into thinking one thing about the painting. This guided opinion allows the viewer to understand what was happening at the time or how the artist was influenced. Most of the time it is easy to see from what time period the work of art is from.
Art is also perspective. Everyone has a different outlook on the world. Some may see it a wonderful, happy place and others may see the world as a dark and pitiful place. Artists often use their life experiences and views of the world and put it all into their artwork. We as the viewer can see how the artist was feeling or how they felt about human kind, war, life, love, and death all in their works. Also, in order to have differing opinions you must see the work of art in multiple lights. The artist point of view is often slightly different from what the viewer sees. Or someone of higher status and more education might see a deeper meaning and connection of a painting while someone less educated would just see the painting for what it is and not make any connections to the outside world or past history. There are often different shade of meaning behind a painting because everyone looks at it differently. That is what make art so exciting. Art also can change the way one views the world. It allows the viewer to see what the artist or the subject of the work is feeling or what they are going through. That is also what makes art unique. It has the ability to transform one's perspective into something more magical or even more understanding of others.
Art is also a way to experiment with new techniques and styles and see how the public reacts. Musicians change genres all the time and some people love their new sound and other despise it. It is truly a personal preference. Sometimes creating something out of the ordinary can inspire an entire new way of art. Experimentation leads the artist into a wonderful place of creativity, inspiration, and hope. That is the beauty of art; when trying something different or new, it can open the doors to a world of possibilities and ideas.
Art. It is a powerful tool that is anything and everything you want it to be. From a fantastically carved Greek statue to a urinal, what art is, is up to the artist and no one else.
Self expression. Observance. Opinion. Perspective. All are major parts of art. Art can be anything you want it to be. From the Nike of Samothrace to Duchamp’s Fountain both are considered to be some of the greatest works of art in the world.
Self expression continues to be the first idea that pops into my mind when I think of art. Artists can put anything they want to on a canvas, but I believe that there is often some other meaning behind the colors and brushstrokes. It is not always meant to just look pretty. The colors in a painting can send messages of what the artist is going through or previous life experiences. They can also conjure up different feelings and emotions. For example the simple color blue can evoke a sense of melancholy or calmness and red can be love or anger. Texture can also bring up different feelings. If there are hard strokes and scratches I feel anger. If the brush strokes blend into the next and there is a flow to the piece, it is a whole new experience. These various techniques and styles allow the viewer to feel what the artist wants them to experience.
Art is also observance. Everyone sees art in a different light than the person standing next to them and many works of art can be interpreted differently. Some may understand the ready-made and the social commentary Duchamp was implying with the Fountain and others just see a urinal and question the sanity of Duchamp himself. These observances often run into opinion as explained above. Whether a person enjoys a painting or piece of art or hates it, the artist intended to create something that would cause conflicting ideas. These opinions can sometimes be guided by the artist as well. They want to lead your mind into thinking one thing about the painting. This guided opinion allows the viewer to understand what was happening at the time or how the artist was influenced. Most of the time it is easy to see from what time period the work of art is from.
Art is also perspective. Everyone has a different outlook on the world. Some may see it a wonderful, happy place and others may see the world as a dark and pitiful place. Artists often use their life experiences and views of the world and put it all into their artwork. We as the viewer can see how the artist was feeling or how they felt about human kind, war, life, love, and death all in their works. Also, in order to have differing opinions you must see the work of art in multiple lights. The artist point of view is often slightly different from what the viewer sees. Or someone of higher status and more education might see a deeper meaning and connection of a painting while someone less educated would just see the painting for what it is and not make any connections to the outside world or past history. There are often different shade of meaning behind a painting because everyone looks at it differently. That is what make art so exciting. Art also can change the way one views the world. It allows the viewer to see what the artist or the subject of the work is feeling or what they are going through. That is also what makes art unique. It has the ability to transform one's perspective into something more magical or even more understanding of others.
Art is also a way to experiment with new techniques and styles and see how the public reacts. Musicians change genres all the time and some people love their new sound and other despise it. It is truly a personal preference. Sometimes creating something out of the ordinary can inspire an entire new way of art. Experimentation leads the artist into a wonderful place of creativity, inspiration, and hope. That is the beauty of art; when trying something different or new, it can open the doors to a world of possibilities and ideas.
Art. It is a powerful tool that is anything and everything you want it to be. From a fantastically carved Greek statue to a urinal, what art is, is up to the artist and no one else.
