What is art? A survey

[$ally]

My son is conducting a survey for a newspaper job. If you would like to participate, post your opinions here.

Which of the following do you consider a legitimate form of art?
tattoo
TV screenwriting
street/slam poetry
interpretive dance
landscape/interior design
paintings done by elephants
culinary
computer imaging

 

[Dixon Cannon]

ALL! Art is in the eye of the beholder. As each of us may disagree on which art form is more beautiful or entertaining, any one of us may choose to hold, cherish and display any of the above and enjoy it as art. Such is the nature of art.

-dixon cannon

 

[dhermann1]

Except maybe the elephants. Chimps maybe, gorillas, definitely, but elephants, I think maybe not.

 

[Dixon Cannon]

I rest my case.

http://www.chiangmai-chiangrai.com/elephant_art.html

-dixon cannon

 

[fourstarbanner]

I think art is representative of the time it was created. In order to learn more about a society, one should look at their art. Art depicts politics, social expectations and changes, economics, and the like.

I believe everything on the list is considered art. The real question is why its considered art? Interior design, tattoos, and slam poetry are somewhat new to the mainstreams of what's considered art. Why?

 

[ShooShooBaby]

all of the above!

i like this lyric from ani difranco:

art is why i get up in the morning
but my definition ends there
doesn't seem fair
that i'm living for something i can't even define...

 

[Spatterdash]

Art is any construct or expression that, via the senses, encourages the recipient to consider concepts beyond their current circumstance.

Everything initially listed fits that definition.

 

[BegintheBeguine]

TV screenwriting
paintings done by elephants

 

[Twitch]

tattoo YES
TV screenwriting YES
street/slam poetry YES
interpretive dance YES
landscape/interior design NO
paintings done by elephants NO
culinary NO

 

[kysaddletramp]

Art is an expression

The expression of creativity in any form is art.

 

[BellyTank]

See Wim Delvoye, Belgian.

He knows what ART is and is not.


B
T

 

[MrNewportCustom]

Tattoo - Originally, no. But I've learned to accept it as such.
TV screenwriting - As I've been saying for years, "An artist creates an image to inspire the mind. A writer inspires the mind to create an image." The screenwriter inspires the work of the production crew. So yes, it is art.
Street/slam poetry - To some, yes, but not to me.
Interpretive dance - Yes. "Dance is the only art form where we, ourselves, are the art."
Landscape/interior design - Technically, no. Aesthetically, yes: as beautiful as these can be, they're still architecture.
Paintings done by elephants - No. Art is meant to express emotion. The elephant hasn't a clue why his trainer made him do it. I saw the painting: it looked, to me, like huge, colorful scratches on a wall. It's almost the equivalent to a dog rounding a corner at several hundred miles per hour in an attempt to greet his master (by way of knocking him down) and slamming into a wall, smearing whatever repulsive substance he'd been rolling around in earlier that day onto the wall, but with a color other than brown. The elephant wasn't inspired to create it, he was instructed. The elephant doesn't have the capacity to create art on his own.
Culinary - Oh yes! I've eaten some masterpieces. I've also created a few.

But these are just my opinions. I can easily see where anyone can consider any of these to be an art form, because art is truly in the eye of the beholder (note my opinion on tattoos). Ultimately, on an individual basis, if one likes what they see (read, hear, taste, feel, smell), it's art. If they don’t, it is at best, in their opinion, something to fill an empty space; at worst, offensive garbage.


Lee

 

[Story]

To answer a question with a question

Are the elephants pink?

Relevant pithy O. Wilde quote: All that I desire to point out is the general principle that life imitates art far more than art imitates life.

 

[$ally]

Thanks all for your replies. His deadline is next week. If his story ends up in the online edition I'll post a link here. A couple of you will be quoted in the print edition (upon gathering your real name and permission).

 

[LizzieMaine]

Personally, I consider "art" to be the deliberate imposition of form on the formless -- if it's the result of a thought-out creative process, it's art. It can be inspired art, great art, memorable art, good art, annoying art, offensive art, bone-dumb stupid art, exploitative art, manipulative art, cynical art, ridiculous art, or just plain waste-of-time art, but it's still "art."

 

[Mr. Lucky]

TV screenwriting
paintings done by elephants

Why, thank you! You've included both my living...and my hobby! Now, as to which is which..?

 

[Josephine]

landscape... design NO

As a Landscape Designer, I must respectfully disagree.

Personally, I consider "art" to be the deliberate imposition of form on the formless -- if it's the result of a thought-out creative process, it's art.

Exactly. I use stone, wood, and other material along with plants' color and shape on the landscape instead of paints on canvas to create an ever changing piece of art.

 

[gluegungeisha]

All of them.

I want a painting done by an elephant!

 

[Rufus]

Anything done by Human hand can be art, or at least artfully done.

I'm a professional artist, and I often admire streetworks,gardens and even interesting arrangements of items in peoples home windows.

People make art every day.

When you make someone you love dinner, you think about the aesthetics of layout on the plate (I hope..). There's nothing as lovely as a well presented wheel, it can be as enticing as any painting or sculpture.

Equally gardens and pubic spaces. There's some fantastic spaces in London where you can find a momonets piec, all thoughtfully laid out... for you!

Humans have that unique ability to apply aesthetic taste.

You can teach a monkey to hold a brush and paint, but it's not behaviour that you find in the wild, it is by association with humans.

It is a unique ability inherent in all people, and it's great when you find others who appreciate it.

Like in this very Lounge, full of appreciators of vintage!

rufus