Art

Art is something which has existed as long as Homo Sapiens, but what is it?

 In my opinion art could best be defined as a work created by someone acting as an artist with the expressed intent of creating a work of art. In order to be a work of art it must be both unique and aesthetic in design and composition. However ultimately the observer supersedes these standards, for they are the true decider.
What is an artist? In order to be an artist, one must be a sentient being capable of conscious intent. If the being in question is sentient and capable then he/she/it must then create/compose their creation with the intent of it being a work of art. If these criteria are met then the being in question has become an artist, however that means that any sentient being capable of intention is capable of being an artist, so therefore the title of artist cannot be held with exclusivity or prestige. However nonsentient creatures which are not capable of conscious intent, namely animals cannot be artists, therefore the paintings done by the chimp, named Congo, cannot be considered art.

Congo the Chimp, Untitled, 1957, paint and paper. It is a bunch of random brush strokes made by a juvenile chimpanzee.

Though the artist intent may be the most important factor, the work must also be unique. If the artist merely copied a work of art done by a different artist then it cannot be considered a work of art but rather an act of theft. Though the work may contain or be composed of materials created by another, or even mass-produced, so long as the work in question is assemble or composed in a unique manner; Cai Guo-Qiang’s Inopportune: stage one is composed of nine separate cars which he did not manufacture however the collection of the vehicles staged and suspended become his work of art. Additionally homage is perfectly acceptable, provided that the artist makes it clear that they are referencing an existing work or object. Klara Glosova has made several porcelain sculptures of commercially available underpants as well as commercially available personal electronics that count as art do to the materials and intent involved in their creation.

Cai Guo-Qiang, Inopportune: Stage One, May 5, 2007, Sculpture/semireadymade cars and LED lights. A series of cars with LED lights sticking out of them. It simulates a brutal car accident. Thus invoking thoughts of risk and mortality.

These rules ultimately come to naught in the face of opposition. For in the end, the observer
holds final say, over whether it is art or not. If the observer believes a piece is a work of art then in their eyes it is even if it doesn’t meet any of these standards.

Art has gone through countless styles over the vast ocean of time in which mankind has existed. The earliest know form of art are the paleolithic cave painting. Art has changed constantly since it began, the latest form it has taken is contemporary art.

However before you can go forth in to this blog to learn about the wonders of Contemporary Art, you must first learn the vocabulary needed to discuss art.