What is Art?

What is Art?

Let’s Play a Game. . .• Examine the following

series of images• Decide if they are Art

or not• Be prepared to defend

your answer with full explanations (not just “good” or “bad”)

Is this Art? Why or why not?




















Is this Art? Why or why

not?







Popular Definitions of “Art”• “Art is not a thing; it is a way.” –Hubbard (writer)• “Art enables us to find ourselves and lose ourselves at the same

time.” –Merton (writer)• "Art is either plagiarism or revolution.“ –Gaugin (painter)• "Art is the only way to run away without leaving home." –Tharp

(choreographer)• "Art is a kind of illness.“ –Puccini (composer)• "Art is meant to disturb. Science reassures." –Braque (painter)• "Art is like soup. There will be some vegetables you don't like but as

long as you get some soup down you it doesn't matter." -Wyllie (sculptor)

• "Art is childish and childlike." -Hirst (visual artist)• "Art is a bang/blast." -Okamoto (abstract artist)• "Art is art. Everything else is everything else." -Reinhardt (visual

artist)

Who is allowed to define Art?

• Artists• People who buy art• Teachers• Me• You• Anyone

Fountain’ by Marcel DuchampOwned by the Tate Museum in London

Who determines the “worth” of an artwork?

• The artist who made it• The artists who criticize it• The person who buys it• The viewer who sees it

• Should the worth of an artwork only based on money?

The Card Players Paul CezanneMost expensive painting ever soldSold for more than $250 million in 2011

Did You Win the Game?• All of the images are Art

What is your definition of Art?

Education

What is Art?