What is Art??

When asked what is art, Leo Tolstoy states from his book What is Art?, “To evoke in oneself a feeling one has once experienced, and having evoked it in oneself, then, by means of movements, lines, colors, sounds, or forms expressed in words, so to transmit that feeling that others may experience the same feeling - this is the activity of art.” This is the excerpt that I agreed most with. When I see art there is always an emotion behind what it is I am looking at. It could be strong or weak but I am still feeling something when I look at that piece of art. Art can be found anywhere and everywhere. Looking around you right now I bet you can find something that pulls an emotion from you, whether it is a piece of work on the wall or something that someone is wearing.

In the first prompt, there was a picture done by an animal, a man and a baby all three which I consider art. I would not be able to tell which artist did which piece and it doesn’t stretch my definition of art at all. Looking at those pieces still evokes an emotion in me. It maybe confusion yet the colors and the randomness in all of them bring a smile to my face.

The second prompt included the picture of the bike wheel and the toilet. I wouldn’t’ consider this art. There is no emotion that the artist is trying to portray and I don’t feel anything when I look at it. I know many people would argue that that for a fact is art. I think the only way that would be considered art would be if it was at an art museum. If there was a urinal in the bathroom and it was signed you would not think to yourself, “Wow that is a real piece of work.” You would probably just blow it off and use it for what it is made for…peeing. I know there are many things found that can be considered art that are not created for example natural landscapes I would consider art because when I look at some of them like the mountains I feel calm and serene. This doesn’t mean all things that are not created are art though. Wikipedia defines art as, “…the product or process of deliberately arranging symbolic elements in a way that influences and affects one or more of the senses, emotions, and intellect.” I disagree with this statement. I don’t think art is always deliberately made. At times art can happen as an accident and still evoke an emotion in us.

The third prompt shows something that was created then erased. I still consider that piece art. When I look at it I feel confused and I want to know more. What was originally created and then erased. I feel a little empty because it was erased and there should be more. The act of erasing in a lot of cases can very easily be considered art.

One form of art that is looked to negatively is graffiti. Do you consider graffiti art? Graffiti makes you think. In an article called Why is Graffiti Considered art they made a statement as to why it is, “The subversive act of painting graffiti illegally in the first place is a statement within itself, and the works are meant to communicate things, too. Graffiti artists use symbols, words, letters, pictures, murals, and tags to express what they have to say both to each other and to the public at large.” They are portraying an emotion that they want many people to view and think about.

Does art have to be beautiful? Another definition I found goes as follows, “the quality, production, expression, or realm, according to aesthetic principles, of what is beautiful, appealing, or of more than ordinary significance.” I think there are many pieces of art that are not considered beautiful or appealing but are very artistic. Anything portraying some dark image could be gruesome and gory but would still be consider art because it is portraying an emotion and making you think. For example, the painting "Cronus Devouring His Children". by Francisco de Goya is a painting of a Titan eating a person. It is in no way beautiful or appealing but it is definitely art.

What is art? This is a question that is always asked and answered in many different ways. Art is different from person to person. Some may think that a urinal with a famous persons name on it is art. I say its not but that is just my opinion and not everyone else’s. I think that art has to portray a feeling and make you think. Others may not agree with that. Art is what is aesthetically pleasing to you. Look around you, what would you consider art?