Emerging 3
by Robin McCondichie
What is art?
Ask that question among a group of people and you are likely to get a number of different answers and a lively discussion.
Art has been with us for a very long time – tens of thousands of years. Some experts say that music and dance were likely the earliest forms of art. Others point to the earliest additions of non-utilitarian design elements to useful objects such as bowls or baskets as art. And, of course, there are cave art and rock carvings depicting animals hunted by early mankind as well as what appears to be abstract designs. Great philosophers such as Plato and Socrates mused on the value of poetry, tragedy and comedy in performance art – and written ideas that also can become “art.”
Today the Oxford dictionary defines art as “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;” and “ the various branches of creative activity, such as painting, music, literature, and dance.” The Britannica Dictionary defines art as “something that is created with imagination and skill and that is beautiful or that expresses important ideas or feelings.”
Art is often divided into categories such as fine art, decorative art and applied arts. According to Wikipedia, the “fine arts” traditionally include music, sculpture, painting, literature, architecture, performing arts and film (which includes photography). But then there are the “decorative arts” which involve the design and manufacture of objects that are both beautiful and functional. This includes interior design, ceramic art, metalwork, furniture, jewelry, fashion, textile arts and glassware. “Applied arts” are similar to decorative arts. Both sometimes fall under the broad category of “design”.
Visit a large art museum such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City and you’ll see examples of all these forms of art, as well as those that don’t easily fall into any one category.
We thought it might be interesting to visit this idea – what art is and where it fits in our lives and our communities – in Perspectives this year.
So we’re asking you … how do you define “art”? Email us your definition of art – or a definition you’ve seen and liked (just provide the source in this case) – at artscenteryates@gmail.com and put “Definition” in the subject line. — Pat Jackson