I have always loved art and I have actually considered myself an artist at one point or another. I have not, however, taken the time to consider what is art, or what makes one an artist. I took the time to walk around my neighborhood, as Queens is a very diverse neighborhood and I always see a lot of culture. I believe that each culture has their own definition of art, which makes art even more subjective, and the definition more personal.
The picture (above) is one of the last pictures I took on my journey to define the definition of ‘art’. I love taking pictures of flowers because flowers have so much meaning. There are so many ways flowers can be twisted and mixed to portray something in a picture, drawing or painting. I believe the use of flowers in art shows symbolism and great emotion, and those are two things I believe art should contain. This picture of a rose on a rainy day conveys a lot of meaning. The way my phone works, it can choose to have a central focus, and obviously the central focus is the rose. The rose in the picture can mean so many things. It could be a symbol of deep love, longing, desire or devotion. The picture shows enough background that you can tell the rose is part of a wild bush. So maybe the picture represents wild love, trying to escape. In the wildness it is pure and red roses do symbolize pure love. There are so many ways this could be interpreted and analyzed and that is what I think art should make one do.
This second (above) is something I believe has the potential to be looked at as art. If it was the colored version I believe it would not have such an impact. In color it is just a picture of an abandoned lot that has been vandalized and not taken care of. Being put in black and white will make people wonder about it and gives it more importance then it had before. It makes one wonder about the neighborhood, the graffiti, the general ambiance of the picture and perhaps make them question why this is so rundown. This is one of those things, that by itself it could not be considered art. However, when given context and a little editing, it shows a deeper meaning.
This third picture (above) is something I do not consider art at all. It is a simple traffic sign that serves a purpose in a simple neighborhood. This picture is not something I would consider art because to me it has no meaning. All I see is a sign that notifies someone that there is no where further to go. While helpful this does not have a symbolism to me at all. One could argue that it is a warning, a sign of imminent danger. However I take this as a literal sign that there is nowhere to go past a certain point.
Traveling around my neighborhood looking for things to photograph was surprisingly easy. It was the choosing which could be considered art or not that was the hard part. By my standards and understanding of art, what I wrote is how I would rate each of the pictures. My definition of art has not really changed much. In my first two pictures I felt something, a connection and appreciation of beauty. The third picture left me feeling absolutely nothing. Art to me is anything, be it a picture, a drawing, a painting, a sculpture, etc, that conveys a feeling, or makes someone feel something. It could be a feeling as simple as “Well, this is beautiful.”, or “I wish I never saw this.” As long as it makes you feel something I believe it could be art.
I feel like maybe the Dead End sign could be art in a certain context, like maybe if it was a more stylized photograph like the one you took of the graffiti.
Love how you stated that Art should be personal, I couldn’t agree more. The photo of the rose really invokes feelings of emotions that make it art to most people. The central focus was on the rose but you did an amazing job capturing just enough of the background to show readers that this pure rose came from a such a “wild” place. As far as the second photo, I agree that with proper context this may be able to be turned from unwanted vandalism to proper art. However, I disagree with your last photo of the Dead-End sign. These simple words can invoke a trapped feeling for many viewers, causing them to tie it with personal problems or issues in their own personal lives. The ability of the last photo to make things personal is what makes it Art to me. Overall, really enjoyed reading and viewing your photos, awesome job!
Your picture of the rose is incredible.
Regarding the second photograph, I do not think it is art. I could understand your point on how the context of a picture may give it meaning, but I do not think that is the case here. This abandoned lot is just an abandoned lot. There is no art here. The graffiti on the wall and the pieces of litter all over the floor show a lack of respect by the occupants of the neighborhood. This rundown neighborhood looks more like destruction than a piece of art.
Thank you!!!
That is why I posted it. It is something that with the right context can be considered art. Perhaps a mysterious title, or a time period stamp, that would give more context. But i do see what you are saying.
It seems to me that you truly understand the idea of art, at least from my perspective. I couldn’t have agreed more with the idea that something that makes you feel can be considered art. All of these photos, even the third, make me feel. These images are just so bright, vivid, and I believe each one of them tell there own little story or bring back a past or really get your mind going with strong imagery. I love the first photo with the rose so much that I literally just made it my phone’s background. It speaks volume to me and shows me even the simplest are amazing so I couldn’t have agreed more than what you said. Amazing!
Thank you. I really appreciate that?! I love art that makes people feel abundant emotion.