Artists nowadays are trying to incorporate art in everyday life. In When Life Becomes Art Johnson talks about how artists are shifting towards art that most people can see every day. “It represents efforts by more than 100 artists to expand definitions of art and change social conditions by inventive, nontraditional means.” he says. However, he believes that even though this art is new and intriguing, some of it may not be as well thought out as the others.
His main example is that of a bathroom in a restaurant in the Lower East Side of Manhattan. This piece of art is supposed to denote an executive’s bathroom at an investment bank’s office. He believes that “It is a work of art — not just figuratively, but literally.” Another work of art is called “Palas por Pistolas” a piece made with recycled weapons from Mexico.
Johnson believes that this type of “lifelike art” is something that cannot be stopped. It is modern art’s way of changing itself. He thinks some of the other works are just as good; some even involving people doing the same things at the same time for one day. Even though it is new, Johnson believes that you have to be throughout the entire thing to see this type art at its potential.
When you quoted “it represents efforts… to expand definitions of art…” it lessened m respect for artwork as a whole. I feel like it somewhat reduces the significance of what art is. Art indeed can be found in almost anything but I think it should take a more profound meaning. I don’t see how a bathroom can be a work of art, something to really be admired. It sounds somewhat silly to me.