Defining Art - What is Art? - Manuel Marino Blog

I guess this topic isn’t particularly hot, but I have been contemplating it a lot lately. I am unsure about the accepted definition of art. What is art? Is it subjective and defined by individuals, or does it require a collective or organizational agreement to determine what art is? I have a pocket dictionary in front of me, and it defines ‘art’ as ‘the creation of anything beautiful; talent or ability; paintings or sculptures, etc.; subjects other than sciences, requiring sensitive learning instead of the use of measurement.’

The definition provided by my small dictionary sounds very vague and somewhat contradictory to me. Some of the greatest works of art and visionary wonders that have deeply moved me were created by skilled artists and may not have been breathtaking in the traditional sense, but they were thought-provoking. They combined exceptional technical ability with sensitive insight. This is what I would consider art.

Over the past year, I have seen a lot of art, ranging from local talent exhibitions in my town to Renaissance masters, impressionists, contemporary art, surrealists, and recently a Jeff Koons exhibition at the Chicago Contemporary Art Museum.

In my opinion, most of the art at the Chicago Institute of Art falls into what I would classify as art. I see art as anything that is skillfully crafted. In my mind, I would not classify images created by Jasper Johns or Jackson Pollock and others in a similar style as art. I’m sure many people would and do. If I’m being honest, I would say that these artists are truly pushing the boundaries with their concept of art, but I admire them for exploiting the public and making substantial amounts of money from their paintings. A masterpiece by a Renaissance artist truly captivates me. I appreciate some contemporary art if it is intellectually stimulating and well-crafted. A few random splatters of paint on a canvas do not meet my definition of art. It may have a therapeutic effect, and that’s a positive thing. Does that mean Alfred Adler’s psychology Artists Psychology - Here's an interesting exclusive article Roland d’Humières, 56 years old psycho-analyst from Aix en Provence (France) has written for our Weblog. I think it to be a very interesting writing about the artists psychology, or maybe "arts psychology", what's behind an artists mind. Artists Psychology Whatever is his/her Art, painting, music, dance, writing, or any… is also considered art, or should we not confuse it and leave it in the realm of psychology?

I believe the term ‘art’ can mean many different things. At a spiritual and existential level, creating one’s own reality and sculpting one’s life could be considered an ‘art,’ but this is more of a metaphor. I’m specifically talking about visual creations that are classified as art.

Recently, I visited Jeff Koons’ exhibition in Chicago with my girlfriend Spring. I was looking forward to the exhibition as I had seen many of his creations in books and other media. I enjoyed looking at all the strange installations and pieces. I had a great time and a lot of fun at the exhibition, but I would not classify what I saw as art. Shiny inflated balloons, images of Jeff Koons having sex with his pornstar girlfriend or spouse, and other unconventional installations – is that art? As I mentioned, I had a wonderful day and I enjoyed observing the installations by Jeff Koons and the other artists exhibited in the gallery. It was interesting, to say the least. Many of the artists seemed to be making statements about something. Does that mean the small statement and opinion I’m writing here is a work of art? I don’t think so, and I would likely be accused of having an inflated ego, a delusional mindset, and maybe even be confined to a mental institution for even entertaining such a notion. Perhaps if I scribbled my words on an unmade bed or tattooed my thoughts on a dead pig and preserved it in formaldehyde, then maybe my madness could be kept hidden behind a veil of nonsense.

As I have mentioned before, I had a great time at the Jeff Koons exhibition, and I would go again. Just because I don’t believe it belongs in the category of art doesn’t mean I want to condemn or banish it. I simply believe that this type of art, whether it’s modern art or whatever, could possibly have its own category and doesn’t necessarily need the status of art. Perhaps ‘visual statements’ would be a more appropriate term.

If all of this is considered art, then all these individuals are artists. I feel a certain disrespect towards what I consider to be genuine, real, and authentic artists if we categorize Damian Hurst, Jeff Koons, Leonardo da Vinci Western Art - Known Western Artists & Paintings - [caption id="" align="alignleft" width="350" class="zemanta-img"] The Mona Lisa. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)[/caption] Art is highly subjective, and while the following list may not be exhaustive or completely comprehensive, it can serve as a fun way to learn more about familiar artists and discover new ones you may not have known about before. Michelangelo was an Italian… , and Salvador Dali as artists in the same sentence (although the latter two, in my view, are the genuine, real, and authentic artists).

I may repeat myself once again and say that I had a fantastic time at the Jeff Koons exhibition, but he’s no Caravaggio. I saw a Caravaggio at the Chicago Institute of Art, and it evoked a wide range of indescribable emotions in me. I was completely overwhelmed. Jeff Koons, Damian Hurst, and all the others of the same kind do not have the ability to evoke such feelings, and it is futile to even compare them to what I consider true artists. I appreciate some installation art, but it pales in comparison to what a true and talented artist can create. The entire realm of installation, contemporary, or whatever art may be enjoyable, just like a fun fair is enjoyable, or icing a cake with a “happy birthday” message is enjoyable. To compare an iced birthday cake to a Renaissance painting would be ludicrous. I’m sure some people would place iced cakes and Renaissance paintings in the same category. Perhaps some individuals would derive the same emotion from an iced birthday cake as I would from a Caravaggio, so I suppose I would have to take back my words. But then, if someone were to experience the same emotion that I felt with the Caravaggio but instead experienced it from their pet cat, should we hang the pet cat up in the Chicago Institute of Art, perhaps next to the Caravaggio?

Manuel Marino

Manuel Marino is a seasoned Senior Producer, Music Composer, and Artist with over a decade of experience. He specializes in branded entertainment across various mediums, including video games, films, and advertising campaigns. With 20+ years as a game music composer, Manuel has worked on numerous platforms, creating diverse orchestral soundtracks. HIRE ME