What is Art? Art is an organized set of work that is viewed and garners a reaction. Art can be a person, something unintentional such as an eraser, or an actual painting in a museum. I think it is easy to spot some forms of art and harder to spot others. Art is subjective and can be interpreted in many different ways. Some things that are hard to classify as art could be tilted or inverted, and it could become art. Some others things are just daily objects. Some daily objects may have art on them. It is hard to define art, because some people may suggest that anything could be art. However, art to me has boundaries. I think that art is a little exclusive. There needs to be certain qualifications as listed above that would make it art. The pieces below go as listed: art, maybe art, not art.
![](https://files.eportfolios.macaulay.cuny.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/5921/2017/09/16154955/IMG_5741-150x150.jpg)
ART: This is actual art in my eyes. This is an organized and intentional piece of work. It is a wooden statue that is a figurine. This figurine is symbolic art that was passed down through my family. The sculpture took time to make. It resembles a real man with a pipe in his mouth. This has taken tie to make, it is organized, and it is a stereotypical statue piece that could probably be found in a museum.
![](https://files.eportfolios.macaulay.cuny.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/5921/2017/09/16154955/IMG_5739-150x150.jpg)
Maybe Art?: This is simply a woven loofa in my bathroom. As I looked around my house for something that was not art, I looked up to see this material. If I were to edit the picture by proceeding to angle the photo in a different way, I believe this would be considered art. It would be an intentional creation. Also, it could garner reactions as people would ask questions as to what it is. The loofa has an intricate pattern that makes it look like art. these geometric holes could have been made unevenly, but they were made evenly. Also, the color choice could speak to some people. Does the forest green mean something? Does it tie into the shape of the loofa? It is hard to know whether or not this is art, because it could be art to someone else. Also, this is an everyday item. Should every day items have a place as art? Can a toothbrush be labelled art?
![](https://files.eportfolios.macaulay.cuny.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/5921/2017/09/16154954/IMG_5740-150x150.jpg)
Not Art!: No matter how much one edits this picture, I personally believe that it would be a stretch to call it art. This is literally the recycling bag in my house. I think that waste can be symbolic, but not art. This ties into our class discussion about art having boundaries. I believe that even if it was edited it would not be art. As one walks the streets, they do not genuinely think trash is art. That leads to having to differ art from symbolism. Art can be symbolism but symbolism is not art. I do not think that putting trash in a museum would make it art. Just because it is in a glass panel does not make it art.
Interesting choice with the shower loofa! As I look at the image, I think I would not classify the zoomed in loofa as art. I think a major component of art is framing. Perhaps if this photo were framed differently, if the image was less close up or presented at a different angle, the loofa could transform into art. I think that the questions you considered, like could every day items be considered art are fantastic questions! I think the answer is yes! But, I do think presentation and framing of those ordinary items offers a large component of their ability to classify as art.
I completely agree with your definition of art being a story that is told. When looking at your first picture, I was definitely able to see a whole storyline unfolding. The capability of the first picture having such different effects on each person that views it, also shows what a powerful piece of art this is. As for the second picture, I can understand why it was one of those iffy pictures. In my eyes, that is vandalism of property. I do not see any sort of art behind the vandalized nor do I grasp some sort of message that is trying to be shown. I can understand why some people might view it as art because like you said, this can be interpreted as some sort of protest. All in all, the second picture is very subjective and has a different meaning to each person that views this.
Completely mixed your post up with someone else’s. Please disregard the comment. I’m sorry!
Hello! I really love your image of art. The point you made, that it was an organized and intentional creation, to me, makes it have a purpose and a soul almost. The fact that it had been passed down throughout your family gives it an emotional presence as well. The idea you presented in the second picture is also a valid opinion on art; shifting perspectives and angles can often take something that is not art, and make it art. I believe that a lot of things in our day to day lives can be seen as art if we take a moment to imagine them in a different perspective. Even the waste in your last photo, could be seen as art in a sense of representing our culture’s waste, or excessive materials. Like you said, it can be symbolic, and I believe if it can be symbolic there is at least artistic potential. Thanks for your photos!