What is Art?

Add a Comment

12 Comments

Comment by Michael Bowdidge on 6 May 2008 at 2:10pm

A generalisable definition of art (other than one which admits to the inherent, cultural and historical instabilty of the concept and its shifting, iterative nature) is probably an impossibilty, so why not just go and make some instead? :)

Comment by Ekaterina Alexander on 6 May 2008 at 10:42am

I agree with Kandinski, who said that art should come from the spiritual/inner need to be art

Comment by Artist from the Black Lagoon on 6 May 2008 at 10:21am

I think it is far easier to say what art is not. There are several non artists producing non art on this site.

Comment by Ian Carpenter on 5 May 2008 at 11:22pm

Gülle gülle

Comment by 48073 on 4 May 2008 at 2:16am

I don't know.

Comment by dawn hilton on 30 April 2008 at 8:38pm

Art for me is an emotional state that thrusts itself upon me like a force that demands my attention there and then.

It will not be ignored or left, be placed to one side till later, its there and it demands my time, my energy my hands, my tools, my love and above all else, my respect.

I never worry if I will sell my art, or what will become of it, if I get noticed or respected for it.

Who cares? I don't, art found me and I listen to its voice.

I cannot paint when I want, I can't switch from mummy mode, curator mode, Dawn mode in to artist mode at a drop of a hat.

I have tried and it just doesn't work.

So what is art?

Art is there, its space, light, shade, colour,water,sun,fire,energy,state of mind, a force- a force not to argue with, just simply enjoy it when it demands your attention.

Comment by Barbican Art Gallery on 30 April 2008 at 8:37pm

Here's one of the Martian's choices:

Credit: Sherrie Levine, Fountain 5, 1996
Zabludowicz Collection. Photo S. Levine. Courtesy the artist and Paula Cooper Gallery, New York

Comment by Barbican Art Gallery on 30 April 2008 at 8:31pm

See what the Martians think 'art' is at Barbican Art Gallery's current exhibition Martian Museum of Terrestrial Art.

Anthropologists from outer space set out on a mission to understand life on earth. Imagine that they begin their mission by examining the curious phenomenon that human beings call ‘contemporary art’. What does Art tell them about human life and culture?

The museum’s collection features some 175 works by over 115 artists, from modern masters to bright new stars including Joseph Beuys, Cai Guo-Qiang, Maurizio Cattelan, Jimmie Durham, Thomas Hirschhorn, Ryan Gander, Mona Hatoum, Susan Hiller, Damien Hirst, Brian Jungen, Dr. Lakra, Louise Lawler, Sherrie Levine, John McCracken, Bruce Nauman, Mike Nelson, Cornelia Parker, Sigmar Polke, Ugo Rondinone, Daniel Spoerri, Haim Steinbach, Francis Upritchard, Jeffrey Vallance, Andy Warhol and Rebecca Warren.

Would be good to see if you agree with the extra terrestrials.

Comment by Nuff on 25 April 2008 at 4:27pm

Art is Compression

Comment by Sorg on 23 April 2008 at 3:21pm

art is a scam, a rip-off, a lie. In fact doesn't Art mean "lie" in latin or sumthin'?

• 1
• 2