What’s the minimum criteria for something to be called art?
- human made?
- skillful ?
- with purpose?
- to communicate emotion?
When children paint, is that art?
If I throw paint at canvas - is this art? If not, what would make it art?
Discussion
Something that can be experienced through our senses that triggers an emotive response.
Off the cuff.
That makes generated images art id they elicit emotional response ?
I suppose it does, according to that definition.
Ai art is art, it's just not necessarily human art.
Should we call it non-human art?
Generative or Generated Art. If you come up with the idea, is it your art? Or is it not. I don't know.
If Ai art isn't art, wouldn't that mean that all digital art isn't art? Both scenarios someone comes up with an idea and brings it to life.
Both are tools
Does effort need to be a part of the definition? How much effort? If I pain a weird face with my finger on some paper and it triggers a strong emotional response in someone- is that art ? Am I an artist?
I would say so yes, same with those artists who splat random paint on a canvas and then sell for $1M
If a kid does that without much thought - are they an artist if I buy their “art”?
Yeah, this is the official definition:
the expression or application of human creative skill and imagination, typically in a visual form such as painting or sculpture, producing works to be appreciated primarily for their beauty or emotional power.
Then kids can be considered artists. They are imaginative, can produce subjectively beautiful things which may mean a lot emotionally to their parents
I would say there's a difference between an artist and professional artist, anyone can make art, even if it sucks. I would say creating art is anything where you bring an idea to life in a visual way.
What makes someone a professional artist? Are splats on canvas professional if that art sells for millions?
A child’s finger painting may make you feel proud - is this art?
Is being proud an intense feeling?
Might be? You may have some mixed emotional response to it
If I look at Rembrandt and don’t feel anything, is that not art then?
It’s still art, because it does for other people and we can generally agree that even though it’s not our cup of tea, we can see that it could be for others.
I know I’m contradicting myself, not making any sense, and not really answering but such is a philosophical debate about a term such as “art”. 😂
The minimum criteria is subjectivity.
So everything is art then? Because anything can be subjective
yes, what type of art is it though?
Maybe.
You meant like personal subjectivity?
Like I think it is art for some stupid reason, so it is art, but only for me. Until someone else thinks the same for the same reason or for another.
Mostly I was being snarky.
I used to think designing custom cabinets was an art, or atleast functional art, until I stood in front of artwork at LACMA and thought, wow THIS is art, this is not what I do, I do something different.
I think art is human-made intentional expression and it comes in a multitude of mediums. I guess I pretty much agree with what Karnage was listing initially.
Although it is complicated and there is a ton of personal subjectivity to art and what is good or valued artwork.
Thats kinda the problem. It has become a meaningless word as all requirements have been eschewed to "liberate" the would be "artist"
any expressive action by a human. it's that interpretive. this rabbit hole seems extremely deep but it's just an optical illusion.
ChatGPT says:
The minimum criteria for something to be called art can vary widely depending on philosophical and cultural perspectives. However, several common factors are often considered:
1. **Human Made**: Generally, art is created by humans. While natural phenomena can be beautiful, art typically implies an element of human creation or intervention.
2. **Skillful**: Traditional views on art often emphasize skill and technique, but modern and contemporary art movements have challenged this notion, suggesting that art does not always require technical skill.
3. **With Purpose**: Art usually has some intention behind it, whether it’s to express an idea, evoke an emotion, or explore a concept. This purpose can be clear or abstract.
4. **To Communicate Emotion**: Many definitions of art involve the expression or evocation of emotions. Art can be a medium through which artists convey feelings and experiences.
**When children paint, is that art?**
Yes, children's paintings are generally considered art. They express creativity, emotions, and often have intention, even if the technical skill may not be advanced.
**If I throw paint at canvas - is this art? If not, what would make it art?**
Throwing paint at a canvas can be considered art, especially in the context of certain movements like abstract expressionism. What might make it art includes:
- **Intention**: If you have a purpose behind the action (e.g., exploring color dynamics, expressing a feeling, making a statement), it’s more likely to be seen as art.
- **Context**: How it’s presented and perceived. In an art gallery, this act might be seen differently than if done randomly without any framing.
- **Interpretation**: How viewers perceive and interpret the work. If it evokes thoughts or emotions in others, it can be considered art.
Ultimately, what qualifies as art can be highly subjective and open to interpretation, often relying on cultural, social, and individual perspectives.
One definition of fine art is "a visual art considered to have been created primarily for aesthetic and intellectual purposes and judged for its beauty and meaningfulness, specifically, painting, sculpture, drawing, watercolor, graphics, and architecture." In that sense, there are conceptual differences between the fine arts and the decorative arts or applied arts (these two terms covering largely the same media). As far as the consumer of the art was concerned, the perception of aesthetic qualities required a refined judgment usually referred to as having good taste, which differentiated fine art from popular art and entertainment. –
Anything Saifedean Ammous doesn’t like.
Art encapsulates a hidden pathway/ethic/system. People gather together around a transcendental object which adds something to their collective consciousness that unifies, heals, transforms, etc. Art is creation, is beyond ego and the cult of personality, which nowadays turns artists into go(o)ds that sell themselves on markets. This kills the sacred dimension of art.
There are hundreds of years of esthetics theory, even thousands if we go back to the Greeks. Nobody knows, there are no accepted theories of it. It cannot be defined, this is the most clear thing we know about it. Because creating art is a transcendental phenomena.
The paradox with art is that the people most probable to talk about it, try to explain and define it, are the ones who don't see it.
Art is in the eye of the beholder.