Art Defined By Moony
What is art, really?
What is art?
When I have asked this question to others in the past, most have shared that art for them is best defined as pertaining to a medium in either visual or audio (musical). Usually, these are qualified further as being related to drawing, painting, songs, or “watching” (music performances).
Though I agree these two mediums are artistic in nature, reducing the fullness of art down to two mediums seems awfully limiting. For me, art is best defined by Merriam-Webster’s definition which states:
1 : skill acquired by experience, study, or observation
As such, I do not see art restricted only to the Fine Arts and Music. Rather, I see art as an expansive and evolving platform that can encompass anything that requires adaptation through creative and imaginative means. This could be emotional, natural, or rational.
Though, the most qualified definition of art might be the one Actress Helena Bonham Carter provided which was:
Two of my favorite focuses in art are comedy and non-traditional approaches. Taking Duchamp’s 1917’s Society of Independent Artist’s submission, “Fountain,” I feel his submission fits these two focuses directly.
For those unfamiliar with “Fountain,” this was Duchamp’s way of submitting to a presentation where the threshold was a fee and a piece to present. Duchamp took a urinal, placed it upon the flat side, and signed “R. Mutt” upon the rim.
A fabulous article detailing this submission can be found below, written by Artsy.
Further highlighting my love for the non-traditional wing of art, the image below called “Entropy” by LudwigVanBacon is a recent purchase I have added to my creative workspace that I call The Herb. Seeing the piece, I felt that it not only connected with my appreciation for non-traditional fine arts but also that it would provide a necessary set of colors that were missing in my creative workspace.
So to recap, what is art?
Taking everything covered thus far, I feel we can establish that art is best defined as a unique subject experienced on the individual level where the individual decides the art being experienced.
Before closing out this post, I want to ask you what does art mean to you? I would love to hear if you agree or counter this argument I am making.
Or, if you are more daring, join me and my friends for a future Life: Artists Roundtable discussion where we discuss art, our own experiences with art, and learn from one another in our artistic pursuits.
Those interested in joining a roundtable discussion can find the channel below and links for how to connect me best.
Be well, my friends.
-MT
— Extra —
Hey my friends!
I am starting another art project. This one is focusing on artists of all kinds where I interview them. I plan to make a series of these interviews and to call them collectively Dreaming While Awake. The point of these interviews is to better understand the artist’s focus, discipline methods, hopes, dreams, projects, and what they are moving towards.
For those interested, please reach out to me through one of my various connections shared in my LinkTree down below!
Thanks!
— Other Post By Moony —
— Sources —
art. (n.d.). The Merriam-Webster.Com Dictionary. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/art
A quote by Helena Bonham Carter. (n.d.). GoodReads. https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/911380-i-think-everything-in-life-is-art-what-you-do
Mann, J. (2017, May 9). How Duchamp’s Urinal Changed Art Forever. Artsy. https://www.artsy.net/article/artsy-editorial-duchamps-urinal-changed-art-forever
Stieglitz, A. S. (1917). Fountain (Duchamp) [Photograph]. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fountain_(Duchamp)#/media/File:Marcel_Duchamp,_1917,_Fountain,_photograph_by_Alfred_Stieglitz.jpg
Entropy Fine Art Print Poster. (2021, October 19). Etsy. https://www.etsy.com/listing/1033142189/entropy-fine-art-print-poster
#/media/File:Marcel_Duchamp,_1917,_Fountain,_photograph_by_Alfred_Stieglitz.jpg){kind=link}