Article --- What is Art?

Article – What is Art?

by

B.D. Adams  ©2014                                         

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             Since my last story/article of “What Makes an Artist,” I have been pondering, and pondering how best to handle the next inquisitive dilemma ... “What is Art?”

            Art is in the eye of the beholder ... or so it goes. Is all good art only in museums or galleries? Are all paintings -- be they oils, watercolors, pastels, etc. -- actually art, good art? Do only antique paintings aspire in the realm of real art, or do contemporary pieces fall short in that category? Or do the contemporary art pieces need to be of vintage status before they acquire that designation! If you receive a painting/drawing from a child, is that real art? If a dear friend invites you over to view his or her latest artwork from their art class, should you be honest and try not to vomit at the sight of this piece of “art?”

            Besides the question of “What is man?,” philosophers have also debated “What is art?”

            Many years ago, when I was an under-graduate at Ohio State, I dated Ed, a graduate student in philosophy. Ed actually commented that I should change my major from fine arts to philosophy because I would give him really good arguments! Honestly, I never believed that.

            Anyway, one evening, we had supper at a pizza restaurant, nothing fancy ... a student hang-out. We had finished our supper, so as usual, our conversation became verbally combative! I cannot remember what brought it up, but we were questioning “what is art.” Sometimes the closer the friend, the farther away you’d wish they’d go.

            “You really think we need art?” Ed asked.

            “Of course, I think we need art,” I answered. “It’s all around us!” I motioned with my hands.

            “So, everything you see is art,” he concurred. I nodded. “What about trees, plants?” he quizzed.

            I smiled because I knew where he was going. “Are you asking, who made the trees?” He nodded. “You know that is natural art! The art of nature. And, it’s not necessary to bring up hybrids, manipulated botany!” I warned him.

            Ed gave me that bout, but said, “But everything in this room is an art form. Yes?”

            I nodded.

            On our small table, there was the round cardboard bottom that had held the pizza, used napkins complete with tomato sauce, a few uneaten pieces of crust, bowls that had had salad, and a few beer cans, Miller and Bud.

            He decided to really mess with me, so he began to pile what he could on the cardboard pizza disk. He smoked, so he crushed out his cigarette onto the “clutter.”

            “Here ... here is your creative art,” he pronounced. He sat back with his fingers entwined behind his head and waited for my reaction.

            I inspected what he had done. He just watched my face. All I did was nod my head.

            “What? You can’t call this art!” Ed chortled in surprise.

            “This is an example of modern art. Fairly abstract, but art, nonetheless,” I observed. This is why art is determined by the eye of the beholder!

            “Com’on, B.D. – this is garbage, not art!” Ed stated firmly.

            “Ed, that’s what you see,” I honestly affirmed.

He waved the waitress over to us. I had an idea what he was going to do, but I kept quiet. The waitress was an art student in sculpture. No classes together, but we would acknowledge each other on campus very often.

            He asked her the definitive question ... “Is this art?” He pointed to the object he had created.

            She studied the piece for a few moments. It only took her another moment to move one beer can to a different spot, and then said, “Now, it’s better.” She smiled to Ed and asked, “You guys need anything else?” She tore the ticket from the pad and handed it to Ed. Then, she went back to the register.

            I perused the change she made on the art and nodded my head in agreement.

            “I can’t understand what you two see,” Ed attested.

            “Maybe you should take some art appreciation classes. Don’t look at everything as only black or white.” I grinned at my friend and gave him a wink. He was disappointed that I had bested him at his own game.

Actually, the pizza shop art piece did get made in to a sculpture by the waitress. Not with real food, but in bronze with real beer cans. I tried to get her to sell it to me, but she kept it. I had told Ed about the sculpture; don’t know if he ever saw it. She got a great grade for that piece. Wish I knew what happened to her. So goes college.

When I have been asked, through my lifetime, what I think of a piece of art for their home, I have always nicely asked, “Why are you asking me? It’s for your home, not for mine.” A person should ask if they like it or not! That might be the hardest question to ask yourself.

            Art is, indeed, in the eye of the beholder! Is there art that would make me cringe? Hey, I am human.

         We are all individuals, even though we seem to need approval from others.

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