This is your final exam due no later than 10p.m. on May 5 2008. Class will not meet on campus so you can do this at the library or from home.
Thanks, it has been a great semester. This is your exam:
Pluralistic or Noisy?
One of the arguments against art forms such as collage, installation, and performance art is that in their inclusiveness--their willingness to admit anything and everything into the space of art-- they debase or even destroy the art itself. From this point of view, such forms are to art "proper" as noise is to music. Write an essay that develops this analogy, keeping in mind that one person's noise is often another person's music.
Monday, April 28, 2008
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During the course of this class, we have examined various forms of art ranging from paintings, sculptures, landscapes, performance art, architectures, and films. As for the argument that due to the broadness of such art forms, they disgrace art itself -- I say that it is the contrary. I have always been open to new concepts especially when it comes to art. There is no boundary as to what or where time takes art to. In my opinion, art should be embraced with openness.
As demonstrated in the movie, “Who the #$&% is Jackson Pollock”, those so called “experts” were so quick to judge that Teri’s piece was not a real Jackson Pollack. I find it odd that before Pollack was famous, authenticity was not the problem. Jackson had critics saying that his initial work was nothing because it did not fall into a specific category of cubism, realism, etc. Who is really to say what art is and what isn’t then? I truly believe that the decision should only come from the artist himself.
Chris Ofili’s Holy Virgin does not quite fit into the contemporary abstract style of art that I am usually fascinated with, but I don’t deny it being an art. Perhaps most commonly, people define art as works that are pretty, expensive or something that is easy to understand. Another example of what I originally did not classify as traditional art is the “The Gates” by Christo & Jeanne-Claude. There were critics who claimed it was a waste of time money and there were also supporters like me who respected the twist it brought to the park’s landscape. The last form that I wanted to discuss is Nongrata’s performance. I can see why some audience would not place this with other conventional art, but it should. For me, this is a new and refreshing way to experience art even though I still did not get all of the messages Nongrata was trying to convey.
Art is limitless and thus provides the artist the liberty to express themselves any way they pleased to whether viewers see it as offensive or captivating. It is true that one’s noise is another person’s music and I believe that it can be applied to other aspects and art especially.
Art is one of the most complicated subjects there are, it is almost impossible to actually define. There are different fields of art such as sculpture, painting, and performance art. Art is up to the eye of the beholder which makes it very hard to have any sort of guidelines, although some people try to give art limits and guidelines. Although I feel as though there is no way to actually limit art and set up rules and regulations. I feel as though they might be necessary since sometimes people get out of hand and simply do things in the name of art to see how far they can stretch the limit.
Art is very difficult to define because even if 99% of the population does not like a piece of art as long as one person does it is still considered art. Art is only worth what someone is willing to pay for it. Although there are critics and so-called experts they do not control what is or is not art. Critics also can very easily consider an artist to not be very talented so then fifty years later the artist is selling paintings for millions of dollars, it has happened to so many artists all through out history, which also makes it so difficult for artist to actually make a living off of their work during their lifetime. I also believe the analogy of art and music is very true, art is just like music in the fact that there are so many types of music, all songs mean something to someone that is different to someone else, and not everyone likes it but it is still considered music.
All in all I feel art should have boundaries and that it cannot be all inclusive but that there is no way to actually dictate what art really is and have people dictate what is worth or what types of art is really art. It is a lose-lose battle because if there is a limit on art, people as a society lose but if there are no limits people will continue pushing the limit in the name of art resulting in something very negative.
Here are a few articles about art being taken too far:
http://www.sfweekly.com/2000-02-23/news/public-enema-no-2
http://www.yaledailynews.com/articles/view/24513
Ashley Fawcett
The suggestion that art forms such as collage, installation and performance art is that they are too inclusive and therefore they debate the art itself or even destroy it. This is a good argument in that there is a difference between music and noise and these types of art and art itself. Art can be defined in a number of ways, such as that it is expressive, representational and/or mimetic. Performance art could be all of these things, and so could collage, but performance art could be better described as drama. Collage and installation art is more like noise, because noise is generally something that is unpleasant and even undesired. In communication, noise is also interference. When two people try to communicate, noise makes it yarder to get a message across. From these standpoints, any type of art that is too inclusive just becomes noise.
One of the problems is that collage, for example, is a number of images, sometimes that are not even related t one another. This is noise, because whatever the artist is trying to express becomes confused and noisy because too much is going on at one time. The same can be true for performance art as well. If there is an expressed message, it is often lost because there often seems to be an attempt to make the viewer figure out the meaning of the piece. In installation art, for example, a person might wrap some material around an island and call that art. While there is not a lot of noise, there is little expression, either. Therefore this is not a true art, but is like noise is to music. If a person composes a musical piece made up of breaking glass and grinding gears, it does not represent or express anything and is only noise.
There may be some value to collage, performance art and installation, but it does tend to debase art itself because it is often meaningless to most people, there is too much going on for the viewer to figure out what it represents or what the artist intended to express. In other forms of art, someone may not like a painting or sculpture, but at least they view it as representing something and sometimes as being beautiful as well. Art will have no distinction if someone can claim a work of art is someone standing on a corner. Some other name should be found for these types of “art.”
Thank you for wonderfull and enjoyable class.
Efe BULUTOGLU
Once a friend told me that perception is everything. At the time I did not realize how broad spanning this statement could be. After being in this class and being exposed to different forms of art such as performance art and installation I realized how this concept was also true with art. Before being able to figure out what should be included in art one must first decide what they feel art is.
When this question was initially asked I began to try to make my own definition of what art is. I even asked a good friend of mine what she thought art was. Her definition of art mainly focused on expression and form. Initially I had drawn up a similar definition in my mind. There were at least two examples that I could think of that are not traditionally considered art: poetry & music. Both music and poetry could be used as expression and have form. I had to ask myself if these could be included in the definition of art. This made me have to rethink my definition of art. Looking at what most consider art I tried to make a connection between them all. Painting, film, drawing, performance art amongst others did share one common thread. Visual stimulation.
The stimuli is not always positive, but it is the artists job to create a relationship with onlookers. To me a prime example of this that we observed in class was “Non-Grata.” My initial reaction to this was that there is no way this can be considered art. To me it seemed obnoxious, but there was no doubt that it was visually stimulating. Upon further reflection who is to say that it was not intentionally obnoxious. Art can be loud, or in your face, or even obnoxious and just because it was not for me it really was not fair to discount it because I did not like it. Once again my perception was interfering with my judgment.
Through out history I believe that art innovation has suffered through the same thing that I experienced when I first saw “Non-Grata.” Every time a new art movement begins there is almost always initially reluctance by the art community to accept it. If you look at an artist such as Jackson Pollock I believe this is evident. He was unlike anybody before him and because of this many discounted him. Now he may be considered one of the greatest American artists of all time. People tried to put what he was doing into a category that was already existent, and when they could not they disposed of it.
Innovation is generally embraced in society, however in the world of art innovation is met with suspicion. I believe that art is anything visually stimulating no matter how inclusive. Art proper is still very popular, but some of these other forms of art are gaining popularity. In the end I believe that I am not necessarily right; it all comes back to perception. Each person has their own beliefs as to what art is, and will category it however they perceive it.
Andrea Rodriguez
Through out this semester i learned that art can be many things. Such as, sculptures, performance,paintings,colors,etc. Music i believe is also art because there are meanings behind it. Music and art both have something in common meanings, and critics.
After seeing or hearing something we have our opinion about it.
For example,Jackson Pollack paintings were critics, they thought it was a waste, but to others it was a piece of art.Another example, is the NON GRATA performance i think that is not art i think art does have its limit but to others they love the performance and i think this is what makes music and art unique, our opinion.I do not agree on some arts/music that have no meaning, but that will not stop people from expressing there feelings. Art and Music is based on how people feel.
However we have our rights in not looking at or hearing things we do not like,its not mandatory.For those that say they are experts on arts and music i think are wrong.Art and music is a free jugement based on our opinions. therefor i agree that one person's noise is often another person's music.
There has always been an argument of what is considered art. In truth the person that is viewing, feeling, hearing and tasting it determines if it indeed is art. I personally believe that art can be conditioned for the person who partakes in it and it is usually controlled your environment.
Your environment has a big affect on the person you can grow to be. When you live in the inner city there is a limit of what type of art that you are exposed. In my culture the main art that readily have access to is music. I live R&B and rap music. I feel it is art, because for the most part it is verbalizes how I feel or what I see on a more frequent basis. Rap music can go to the extreme at times with the violent lyrics and verbal abuse towards women. On the other hand, take Jackson Pollack’s art as an example. When you think about it. His art became violent when he went from brush stokes to slinging paint on the canvas. I feel his environment and the way he was externally living his life caused him to change his art form. Just as Rapper’s music sells goes up so did Jackson’s fan base with his violent art.
I get a little disturbed when I hear people criticizing other’s art because they mainly can’t relate to what the artist is trying to express. I’m pretty sure that there is someone out there that can understand and possibly relate to it so therefore it can be art.
I’ll keep this short because the fact is simple- no one can say what is art and what is not art. Art is the expression of someone’s feelings, beliefs, or life experiences. I do not believe there is a correct way to make a work of art. For example, they were telling Jackson in the film that his work was unlike any current methods making it impossible to put a label on it and many people did not agree with that.
As with music, people have different preferences which they believe are pleasant to ears; such is the same with art to the eyes . Personally I’m not into performance art because I do not really understand it but I still respect it all the same. I do not think it defaces art as long as the motive behind the art is genuine and not mocking art itself.
It’s all a matter of opinion but I don’t think anyone, including mayors, have the right to say that any artist’s work is noisy whether the piece is done by someone famous, professional, or just an average joe. Style, method, and composure should never matter as long as it’s genuine.
Pluralistic or Noisy? We desperately need to call on that imagination and determination now more than ever before. Approaches and opinions of art vary and depend upon the kind of art engaged with. It would make a certain difference whether a person is dealing with movies, paintings, sculptures, photography’s, videos, or other media. The arts play a large role in the expression of thoughts and beauty. From dance and music to abstract art our concept of life is shown through the various ways in which we interpret it. Many people use the arts as a means of touching that part of themselves that they cannot reach physically or socially. The arts allow us to be as specific or as different as we please. It helps us become closer to ourselves and to others around us. Although there has been a lot of confusion as to what the true definition of good art is, how we show others what is going on in our minds and inner souls cannot be judged, graded, criticized or revised by anyone other than ourselves. Americans have been blessed with a remarkable capacity to imagine the unimaginable and, more than that, a determination to achieve it in analysis and evaluation of works of art. Although art is subtle, and often tied to theory, it is interpretive and a great deal of critical thinking skills is needed in an effort to understand a particular work of art from different perspectives and to establish its importance in the interpretation of art. There are many different types of cultures that have varying interpretations of art traditions. Some cultures’ evaluate the verbal aspects of art while others may embrace its beauty and form to its spiritual contents. Like all forms of art, traditions have a set of criteria and at times they are shared with many other cultures. I am convinced that there is little need for works of art that lack a powerful sense of conviction. I feel that a certain amount of sincerity is an important attribute in works of art, with this in mind; I feel that it is more important to know what one feels in his or her heart and to speak one's own mind as directly and honestly as possible. Stylistically speaking, the American art world is as noisy, or pluralistic, as it has ever been especially among the upcoming artists with tier recent fascination with high-end production values that seems to be more spontaneous. Pluralistic or Noisy? Who cares, art will always be there in our history, culture, and our lives it is how we see it that is important.
Amber Cavender
Sorry forgot to put paragragh breaks when copying and pasteing.
Amber Cavender
Throughout this course I’ve learned much about art that I never knew before. This course has broadened my perspective of art and what it conveys. When I hear the statement “one person’s noise is another person’s music,” I have to agree with it. In my opinion art can convey an infinite number of messages. I feel that every person can retain a different message in their own eyes. I feel that Chris Ofili’s “Virgin Mary” was the most controversial piece of art that we have discussed this semester. At first, I was disturbed because I am a very Christian girl who views the Virgin Mary as one of the most sacred women in my religion. When I saw an image of her with feses all around her I was very upset. After our discussions of this piece I realized that everyone may not see it my way. Just because it bothered me doesn’t mean that someone else couldn’t like it. I think this is a perfect example that another person’s noise may really be music to someone else.
Another piece of art that I would like to comment on is the Nongrata piece. This piece can be viewed in so many different ways. When I first viewed it I thought that these people were being beat. After our class discussions I learned that many people viewed it in a different way. Although this piece of art may not make much sense to most people it certainly will stimulate your mind and get some kind of reaction out of you.
Now that this course is almost complete I now view art in a very different way. First, I view the piece and collect my thoughts on my first reactions. Next, I try to see and understand the message the artist was trying to convey. Before this class I really didn’t value art. I now see how important it is and what I have missed out on. I can’t say that I am going to go and collect art, but I certainly will view it in a different way.
There are very different forms of art such as sculptures, paintings, performance art, landscapes, and even some films, but although they may be in different forms they are all pieces of art that depict a message to the viewer. Even though one person may not like a certain piece there are many people that love it. Everyone gets a different message from a piece of art and that is what makes art so special to us all.
I really enjoyed this class and I learned a lot about art. Thanks!!
Brittney Sanders
My personal opinion about this subject "Pluralistic or Noisy" is that there is no right and wrong way to make art. No beautiful and not beautiful way to create a masterpiece. The only person who can really judge or decide if a certain piece of art has any emotional or artistic meaning is the artist or the fan himself.
Everyone wants to be a critic and everyone is going to have an opinion thats absolutley fine, but for someone to say what classifies good art and what doesn't is just really ridiculous to me. so much art (with no offense to any artists) looks like complete garbage and it sells for millions and millions of dollars. To me if someones work is moving enough to have millions of people wanting to buy it or wanting to come to shows that that right there is obviously someone with talent. But then again if someone is at home and sitting in their room by themselves and painting a picture that is so dear to them or means so much and is that valuable to them, then that right there is also a masterpiece of an artwork. It all really just depends on the certain individual.
When we watched the movie about Jacson Pollock it opened me up to a something i had never thought about. The fact of not living up to someone else's idea of cubism someone else's idea of whatever kind of group you are being singles out with. I thought just let him paint!! I'm sure he'll make you a masterpiece out of cardboard and crayons if you'd let him just paint what he wants. So this basically just ends my point that art is really a great piece of art in the eyes of the beholder. Let people make up their own minds about what is real art.
Andrea Rodriguez
Rewritten:
Throughout this semester I learned that art can be many things such as, sculptures, performance, paintings, colors, etc. Art has its own world were judgment takes place. Many critics say they know what art is when they see one.
Jackson Pollack paintings were critizes, some thought it was a waste, but to others it was a piece of art. I don’t think art should be judge because we all have our opinions. There’s no such thing as who is and who isn’t an artistic person. As for art performance, I can say there was some performance I never thought was Artistic. Such as, Non Grata performance. My opinion on that was disappointing to see its way of messaging to the world, I think there’s a limit to art performance, but like I said it’s a crappy performance to me but to others they enjoyed it and understood the message. Everyone has there rights in expressing their feelings. Art refers to a diverse range of human activities and artifacts. Performance artists often challenge the audience to think in new and unconventional ways about theater and performing. However judging between music and art I think there is no difference because both have one thing in common people’s opinion. Both music and art have messages and people are expressing there feeling. I don’t think they should be judge differently.
In addition I believe any kind of paintings is art, as long as it’s sending a message. A sculpture is also a message, but as for performance im going to be honest the NON GRATA performance I do not call art, but it’s only an opinion. Why because there’s a limit and what was being shown was not appropriate I think, I wouldn’t want my kids looking at such performance that should be band from art. Also that Matthew Barneys five part cycle video I think it’s a art performance with no message. Paitings are more artistic to me but as for performance there are some i dont fully agree of to be called art.NON GRATA and matthew vedio are(no message, demonic, gross, weired,etc.) I think these performances shouldn’t be called art they should be called something else. But people do have there rights. Many people see things differently but my thoughts towards art like these are just giving the word art a bad view towards what art might be thought of.
This is why I do agree with the statement one person's noise is often another person's music. However we have our rights in not looking at or hearing things we do not like, it’s not mandatory. For those that say they are experts on arts and music I think are wrong. Art and music is a free judgment based on our opinions
The art community can be summed up into two groups, the “In crowd” comprised of the stuffy “masters” who have a self proclaimed intimate knowledge of how art is meant to be, and everyone else. It seems that this small group has power to decide what is truly art and what is not. There is no real size to this group, it cannot be defined, they just happen to be the ones who decide if young artists are even artists at all. With this in mind determining weather certain art is pluralistic or just noise has to be asked twice. The inside crowd would list a set of rules that each style of art must take, no matter what era it is from or ism it follows there are the rules that determine if it fits in. Yet to the latter group art is just that, its art. There is no rule or measure to art, it is just there, be it a feeling or dream or even a provocation. Art cannot be defined to simple terms.
I am reminded of the film we viewed in class “Who the F#%k is Jackson Pollack” the scene that most stood out was the “expert” looking at the piece, from near, far, upside down, judging it for what its worth, then saying it doesn’t feel like a Pollack, that it was to much of this and to little of that. I couldn’t help but feel confused of how this man could claim these ideas of his as fact. The man himself had never know Pollack, had never seen him work, and did not have an account of all the artists work. Yet because he was in the “In crowd” of art, his ideas were taken to be true.
Art shouldn’t be judged by the in, it should be viewed as what it is, as art, a peak into the artists mind portrayed into whatever he or she has created. There are countless artists in the world, and only handfuls ever make it big, even though all of them create and pour themselves into the work. From the graffiti artists leaving there marks on the wall to sculptures creating vast statues, there are no binding for art, everything is accepted and nothing excluded. Art is just as its name says, it is itself.
~David Hodges
Art is always judged by the person who perceives the concept of a work of art. The definition of art can never truly be placed into words because art has to be experienced, not defined. If art was defined, then it would have little room for creativity because art is an expression of the human mind and soul which have limitless potential. A defined form of art becomes expected and predictable yet artists continue to discovery new boundaries because they break away from the limitations of definition. In addition, having a limitless work of art creates a connection to other people based on their experiences in life and could also spark inspiration to make something for the world to show their expression or reply to an experience. A person who has never listened to music will hear just noise coming from someone’s whistle. However, a person who has listened to music and appreciates a certain style or quality of music will understand or comprehend the rhythm and style of that same whistle. The value of that same whistle is different to two different persons. This concept, about the value of art, reminded me of the movie I watched in class one day called, “Who the @#$% is Jackson Pollock.” In this movie, a lady named Teri got a hold of a painting that resembled a Jackson Pollock piece but art experts decided that it is most likely not the case. Teri believes that it is a Jackson Pollock work and she won’t sell the painting for less than 50 million dollars! Art is always valued by the person who perceives it and no one else views a work of art in the same way. Therefore, there is an infinite amount of possible influences and inspirations in the world of art. Whether it is in the form of music, paint, or even food because art is anything that can be experienced with the five senses of the human body!
-Edgar Soto
Art is a pretty fascinating thing. Taking this class has definitely opened my eyes to all different kinds of art and what people do and don’t consider “art”. It can be anything from a sculpture made of elephant poo, to splatter painting on canvas that can cost millions of dollars. It can be defined and shown in many ways, canvas, graffiti, collage, tattoo, and what I learned is live art. Before taking this class I considered art to be pretty black and white, such as still photos, tasteful nude art and nature scenes, which I still do. But I now see that there really is a lot more to it, and how valuable it can be.
A few things I didn’t consider art would be ‘The Holy Virgin Mary’ by Ofili. It was of a large robust woman who has porn butts flying around her while he canvas used is sitting on elephant poo. Another thing that surprised me was the live art from Non Grata. The video of the topless woman beating another woman with a dead fish with blood everywhere, the two nude people in the street sewing their legs together with a needle and thread, the naked guy getting hot glass jars suctioned to his back, all while a manual fire siren is being rung. I think at some points its just to make people take a step back and say to themselves ‘what is going on here?’ .To take them out of their comfort zone. Live art I’m sure is suppose to define something, to express maybe some sort of chaos that is going on in their lives, I’m not quite sure.
The video about Jackson Pollack was interesting, both of them. I’d like to know the turnout of Mary’s canvas painting which I will always believe is his. His work was unique and different techniques. It showed how hard it must be to try and survive as an artist. Using a collage is a simple way of art, its easy to use pictures, cut outs of magazines and words to get your point across. Tattoos are a walking form of art that people can use to express themselves. It’s pretty neat to use as in loving memory form or just to represent something else very meaningful, even if only you know what it stands for, a permanent reminder. A cool tattoo I’ve seen as art have been a newborn’s footprints and their birth information. The bodies exhibit at Mosi was art to me. It was amazing to see the organs and blood flow of the body up close and in the flesh.
In conclusion, art can come in all forms. It really and truly is in the eye of the beholder, what I think is beautiful and simple another might find repulsive. I now won’t be so judgmental and quick to form an opinion about what art really is until taking a closer look and trying to understand it. I now appreciate shadowing, lines, and different brush techniques. I will study sculptures closer. It does seem like a shame when a lot of the artists aren’t appreciated until they are deceased and worked their whole lives to accomplish what is valued once they are gone. In my opinion art is defined by many variables and as long as its appreciated and adored then I would call it art.
Rachel- It's been real! Take care I enjoyed the class :)
One person’s noise is often another person’s music and the same analogy is applied to art. The diversity of cultures around the world creates a variety of views; judgment when defining art and music, but in reality none one can define art itself. Art can be socially discriminated because it may offend certain groups of people; there are boundaries among cultures, making art work hard to be socially accepted. As a result, some art works are considered sick and offensive because of the content, or materials used when creating a work. The painting of Chris Ofili’s “The Virgin Mary” is one example. This work created chaos and spite the Mayor of New York Rudolph Giuliani to say that it was “sick work” because Ofeli’s used pornographic material and elephant dung to create this unique work. Mayor Giuliani founded Ofili’s work offensive because of his religious believes. Art can be both controversial and offensive to certain groups of people; however, before judging any artist, people need to be culture aware of the artist environment and motivation when creating a work. Taking into account all of these factors, how can we define art and its value?
So, what is art? The word “art” has ten different definitions in Webster’s dictionary. As an example, art can be a human ability to make things that have form or beauty. I consider art a human ability to create beauty in different ways. Architecture, sculptures, and fine art are examples of the many ways that we created art. The ability to create art is acquired and shaped depending on which society, environment, cultural traditions, and religious beliefs, the person is exposed to. The word “art” itself is a broad subject therefore, art should embrace exploration. On the other hand, how can people define art value? I believe the value of art varies, depending on the viewer, or the way the artist used skillful execution when creating a work of art. Humans continue to evolve; as a result new types of art and music are exchanged globally among our societies.
The subject of "art" itself is a variable and it is open to arguments, critics, and controversial.
I believe art could be anything anybody wants it to be. If it carries a metaphoric or symbolic meaning I consider it to be art. It could range from collage, performance, paintings, sculptures, dance, music, poems, photographs and so much more. Everyone is opinionated and has the right to judge in what they believe is pluralistic or noisy. In my opinion, poems, music, and photographs are more pluralistic to me than say performance art. Not because I just do not like performance art, but mainly because I simply do not get a meaning out of it. I can not relate to it in any way shape or form. On the other hand, I can relate to poems, music and photographs very deeply. They speak to me as if there was an entire story to be told just in that one little paragraph, song, or picture. For instance in a photograph, I am able to capture the meaning that lets say it is in black and white, a girl is sitting on a railing of a board walk which leads to the beach, her knees which are scrunched up into her chest as she is holding them like a little child, and her eyes which are looking down as if she is starring far into a bottomless pit tells me that she is sad beyond believe because she just lost someone she loved very much.
I would like to say art has no definition but that is just not logical; so I guess I will say art is whatever, whatever the eye of the beholder wants it to be.
This has been a great semester, I have learned so much about art and what I perceive as art. Art can be found in many different forms such as: landscape, paintings, performance art, architecture, and music.
People tend to look at something that one may consider art and determine that it is not art. That makes me very sad, because art can be everything in our world and I don’t like when people judge others based on their opinion and views.
We have seen many different forms of art throughout this semester such as Nongrata and the very intriguing movie about Jason Pollock. Before this semester I was one of those people that judged others based on their opinions and I was not open to new things. After learning about art and seeing so many different forms, I Love Art and what it has to say. I’m so excited that I have had the chance to take this class, and now I am able to think differently in life.
Samantha Fritzsche
Prior to attending this Art Appreciation course, I felt I had a half decent grasp of what the art world consisted of. After completing this semester, I found I was completely wrong and there was more to art than I could have ever imagined. With guest speakers, videos, and different lectures I was shown a side of art I had never expected.
By far, the biggest shock I felt during this class was the introduction to performance art. I was in awe of the fact of people getting together and running and yelling was a form of art, and then in turn are sometimes paid for it, completely baffled. Personally I could go without ever witnessing another one of these performances, but if you make a living doing these types of performances, keep on yelling into that megaphone.
Another issue discussed during this class was the controversy some art may cause. The Holy Virgin Mary, made up of pornographic pictures and elephant dung, brought an uprising of politicians who were well offended. Some were so offended they want to take away grants given to fund such projects. On the other side of the coin, some people enjoyed the art work and protested against the politicians rulings. The fact that a piece of art work brought this much attention, both negative and positive, are still a surprise.
Lastly, the fact of the value of art being worth possible 50 million dollars was a total surprise. In the movie of Jackson Pollock, Teri Horton purchased a painting which was a possible Pollock piece from a thrift store as a joke. When I see this painting, I also would have not taken any serious intent if I were to fork over the five dollars. I cannot believe one painting could be worth so much money.
In conclusion, I feel a lot less ignorant in regards to the art world. This class showed me things I was completely unaware of and gave me a different respect as well. Although I still do not consider some of these things art, this class has told me other wise.
Daniel Abbott
this class has taken my mind to places unheard of. I think that is what art is suppose to do. I do not think that one single person can define what art is. Art is different for any and everybody.
We have seen pieces of art that stretch as far as the eye can see. We have seen art made with human poop. Art has a different meaning for everybody.
For me, art is just suppose to make you think. Any way that a artist can do that is fine with me. Just because we do not like some piece of art does not mean it is not art anymore.
Different people like different things. Art would not even be fun if people could not talk about it. So i say lets get loud and keep it noisy!
To me when I hear the word art I think of paintings and photos and sculptures, but art is so much more than just those simple things. In this class I have learned that there is much more to art then just what is seen on a piece of canvas. Art is something that should not be looked down upon by any means; just because someone doesn’t understand a particular piece of art does not mean that it is not art, it simply means that this art is just not for them. Take performance art for instance; I don’t like performance art simply because I do not understand it but that doesn’t make it “not art,” it is still art in someone else’s eyes.
Music and art can be related easily for the simple fact that both have a different meaning and a different level of likening to different genres and different types of art. I do not think it is the fact that people don’t think it is art or don’t think it is music; I think it has much to do with the fact that they just do not understand or get the true meanings or in music’s case “lyrics.”
People have to understand that just because something is “amazing” in one’s eyes doesn’t mean that it is going to be amazing in everyone’s eyes. Art is different and so is music, everyone has their different style; but no matter what it should always be respected and taken in as art and not something labeled “not art.”
-Matt Brookens-
I think when it comes to defining art that perspective is the key. Everyone sees the world differently, and everyone processes things around them differently. The whole point of art is expression through whatever medium the person chooses; therefore, there can’t be some black and white standard for deciding what art is and what isn’t. The artist is using his or her art to express themselves, and based on this we should accept all creations and forms as art.
As mentioned by the assignment one person’s noise is another’s music. I might not think that an original Jackson Pollock is worth more than $400, but to some as the video showed the art world would gladly dish out a couple million for one of these squiggly lined masterpieces. Like I said earlier, it’s all about perception. One could say “Who the F$&^ is Jackson Pollock?” or Jackson Pollock was a drunk with a love for making a mess, but others find his art mesmerizing so it just goes to show that art is different for everyone because we all perceive and digest the world around us in different ways.
On one side of the argument there seems to be the people who say all of this surrealism and melting clocks and stuff aren’t art because the painting isn’t of anything. They don’t share the vision that the artist had or four differently colored rectangles on top of each other. The other side seems to be the fancy art types who say that a painting of a mountain is boring or blah. They could argue that pictures of things such as Warhol’s soup can is just that…a picture of a can of soup and that it shouldn’t be considered as art.
There are many different types of “art” and there will be things that people won’t like or understand, but I don’t think we should go up to that person and tell them that what they do is not “art”. The definition of art should be your own interpretation and understanding. Whether someone likes to take art for face value or whether they like to look for a deep meaning within there favorite art I think that even if you don’t care much for what you are seeing you should have an open mind to say that even though you don’t get anything out of it you can still respect the person’s attempt at trying to show how he or she perceives the world which is why I think that any attempt to create something can be “art”.
Grant Olsson
To me when I hear the word art I think of paintings and photos and sculptures, but art is so much more than just those simple things. In this class I have learned that there is much more to art then just what is seen on a piece of canvas. Art is something that should not be looked down upon by any means; just because someone doesn’t understand a particular piece of art does not mean that it is not art, it simply means that this art is just not for them. Take performance art for instance; I don’t like performance art simply because I do not understand it but that doesn’t make it “not art,” it is still art in someone else’s eyes.
Music and art can be related easily for the simple fact that both have a different meaning and a different level of likening to different genres and different types of art. I do not think it is the fact that people don’t think it is art or don’t think it is music; I think it has much to do with the fact that they just do not understand or get the true meanings or in music’s case “lyrics.”
People have to understand that just because something is “amazing” in one’s eyes doesn’t mean that it is going to be amazing in everyone’s eyes. Art is different and so is music, everyone has their different style; but no matter what it should always be respected and taken in as art and not something labeled “not art.”
-Matt Brookens-
Throughout this semester my view and interpretation of art has changed. Art can be anything from landscapes to paintings in museums. There is no set limit in art; you can strongly argue anything can be interpreted as art. Someone may view one piece of art as per beauty, and the person beside may think it doesn’t deserve that honor. This is the beauty of art, anything can be argued to be beautiful piece of art in someone’s eyes.
Everyone has different preferences with art. I personally enjoy art as nature. Something that is hand drawn that gives a realistic view. Art should contain talent but everyone views talent in a different approach. The definition of art can never be defined in one view. Art is very broad, and each person will have a different aspect of art they enjoy the most. This is where the saying one person noise can be one person’s music makes sense.
Art doesn’t necessarily have to be a painting or sculpture. Art can be anything, from a building downtown to paint thrown on a canvas. Anyone can make art; you can study art and take art classes, and however it doesn’t necessarily make you a better artist then someone else. As we learned in our last class, art can be made in a few short minutes.
Overall this art class has broadened my horizon on art. Art doesn’t have to be viewed at a museum or art shows. Art can be viewed anywhere at any time. Art can be beauty in your eyes but there will always be someone to disagree with your opinion. Art
-Alexander Santos
In class we discussed many different forms of art. To some people some of the art we discussed was questionable. That means that some people did not really believe that some of this so called art we discuss was really art or not. Things such as the non-grata performance art were not accepted by everyone as art. Even Jackson Pollock’s work was strange and questionable to some people. They felt that since he did not really touch the canvas with his brush, or that it looked more like someone spilled paint on the canvas, that it was not real art. This just adds the analogy “is this art what noise is to music?”
Performance art is still in question in the minds of many people. They question whether this is really a form of art or not. It makes them wonder what this art is supposed to represent. Since the artists that perform performance art are somewhat unwilling to explain the logic behind their art, many people fail to see how a bunch of random acts in one setting is art.
Jackson Pollock is no doubt a great artist , with a very different form of art. Some people still do not know whether they believe this is art or not. There is no question that his works sell for ridiculously high prices, but just because the works are pricy does not make everyone believe that they are still art. They feel that because he just dripped the paint on the canvas , then it is not art but merely spilled paint. They do not believe that it is not the same effort that other artists put in on their paintings.
The analogy comes to mind that “this art is what noise is to music.” all of these pessimistic feelings that people have to these odd forms of art make people wonder if it is “real” art.
Art has always meant many different things in my mind. The first thing that i think of when i hear the word "art," is any form of self expression that illustrates what you're thinking or feeling at that time. Art is an ever changing process that will stand the test of time no matter what genre is present. Getting to the arguement at hand, "one man's trash is another man's treasure," has always been prevalent in the art world. Especially when it comes to an art form such as music, someone is going to hate it, and someone is going to love it. I feel as though art should never have boundaries or limits, because it's an expression of the artist themself. If art has to have boundaries, then i feel that the artist will never be allowed to fully achieve what they're working on. The art world is getting taken advantage of by so called art critics. Art critics these days seem to be out for blood rather than fully indulging in what the art has to offer. They pick apart every little detail and make it seem as if the artist premeditated every single brushstroke that hits the canvas. Take Jackson Polllack for example; can you imagine the first time he discovered his form of artwork? I guarantee he didnt decide "I'm going to put this first paint splotch here." I just believe that limits can't be set for something of that nature. Art is one of the only things that we still have without laws telling us what we can and cannot do, and in my opinion it should stay that way until the end of time.
I have learned in this class that there are so many forms of art, paintings, sculptures, music, etc, and whether I agree with them or not, it is still art. There are no limits to art; it’s an expression of feeling. There have been many artists in the past that have been questioned at some point.
For me, at first when I saw the NON GRATA and Chris Offilli’s virgin Mary, I said there is no way that this is art because in the NON GRATA I just didn’t see how people that had been wrapped in saran wrap could be art and the virgin Mary being put in the same paint as cow dung and porn just blew my mind because I am a Christian. But as we looked more into them I could understand why it was still but I still did not agree with it, and it’s going to be like that for everybody with art, not everybody is going to agree with everything.
Art is a very controversial topic, and everybody has they’re own right to they’re own opinion. Whether u agree or not. This class really taught me that this semester and I’m glad I took this class, it was fun.
Peace Out!
Thank you for a wonderful, eye opening semester, from which I have come to believe that life is art and art is life, Whatever touches a person's soul is beautiful; whether it be the "proper" artform or performance, or any other less widely accepted or acknowledged art. What is one person's noise is truly another person's music. What music or art I like may not appeal to someone of another generation, just as their parents before them may not have appreciated their children's choices. Art is also cultural; what is taken for granted as art, may be odd in another country. What is commonplace in one culture, may be inappropriate in another. In this class I learned that what can make us uncomfortable also makes us think..and when we think we learn.
Caitlin Brody
Pluralistic or noisy?
More often than not, analogies like “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure” and “a man’s noise is another man’s music” turn out to be true. In the art world, theories like this one happen to hold great value. Use modern art as an example, and you will begin to understand where this point of view comes from; after all, contemporary art shows no boundaries when it comes to the creative use of any materials including junk metal and actual trash to complete a piece. If this is the case, then why do people argue about what should be considered art?
It all begins with opinion. As individuals, people have the right to decide what they enjoy or consider trash. Based on this, opinion holds great power in the art world. It can literally, make or brake an artist. However, just like in politics, the majority rules. If you get a substantial amount of people to enjoy your work, the chances of it being successful are very high. If the people like it, it sells and if it sells you gain popularity and big profits come your way. It’s a win /win situation for the persuasive artist because opinions can always be changed.
Time is also very important because it leads to variety and in today’s ever changing society, “variety is art” sooner or later, a person’s work is going to get old, and when this happens, it either becomes so legendary and expensive the average Joe can only look at it from the safety of a museum or, the same Joe completely forgets about the work you created and wonders how you ever made it that far. People are always looking for “the next big thing” and if they have to peek inside a garbage truck to revolutionize the way we look at art today, they will do it. Technology also plays a big role in this line of work because just like art, it’s always changing.
Finally, money (and connections) plays an important part in the world of art, and society as a whole today. If a picture is worth a 1,000 words then , that green piece of paper must be worth a million! With enough money, one can do anything happen. I mean, if you can suck the fat out of a woman and turn her into a super model then, you can make anything in the art world a reality (you can even use the fat you took out of the woman and use it to make a beautiful sculpture)
Sure art is largely based on opinion.; and of course time and variety create an endless demand for “new stuff” to come around. Money holds the world on a string and critics will be hard, if not impossible to please (We saw it on “Who the @#%$ is Jackson Pollock“, those guys are hard to impress )In the end however, art is all about self-expression. Sometimes, people lack the ability to express themselves using conventional terms so they look elsewhere to find inspiration. If creativity leads you to use items other people would find useless under regular circumstances, prove them wrong, and use their noise to make your music.
Have a good summer guys!!!!!!!!!
Just Art.
I once saw a painting being sold for hundreds of thousands of dollars that looked exactly like one I drew back when I was in Mrs. Presley’s kindergarten class. I remember exactly how it looked like. It had a triangle and a square in juxtaposition. I also recall thinking, “I could’ve been a millionaire at the tender age of five.”
Now that I have a bit more knowledge about art, and after seeing so many different pieces from all around the world, I’ve reached a conclusion that there’s always a story behind every work of art. It’s not just a triangle and a square. Its value comes from the quality, the story and the meaning behind it, and the emotions it brings forward. It may be a simple painting to many, maybe even to everyone, but not to the artist. That’s exactly what’s valuable, the painting’s strong and powerful meaning in such simplicity.
No one can ever deny anything of being art. Art cannot be decided. If it’s art, it’s art; there’s nothing anyone can do about it except offer an opinion. Other than that, if you don’t like it, don’t look at it. One man’s trash is another man’s treasure.
Renée Cox’s “Yo Mama’s Last Supper” brings forward mixed emotions: controversy, heat, tension, anger, wonder. To me, this is art. Personally, I would never be gutsy enough to express my feelings and take the risk of offending countless religious people out there with my art. Therefore, clearly, this woman is trying to express her emotions, maybe even her life story, in her own unique way, and has enough courage to do so. Many people believe that sacred, religious figures should not be desecrated, and this I completely respect. However, Renée Cox should not be forced to believe in what others believe in. She has a mind of her own; her painting illustrates her feelings, and her feelings should be respected, as everyone else’s feelings are.
Art expresses the fascination of the mind and the way it works. It can represent a whole story, or someone’s whole life, on a small piece of wood, on a wall, or even on the side of a building. When you wonder and try to interpret the true meaning behind a piece, that’s when you know it’s a magnificent work of art. Not noisy, not music…. Just art.
It seems as though it would be fairly easy to become an artist. Throw some paint on a canvas, put together some photos and music, and presto there is your piece of art work. I have learned that art is much deeper than it appears to be. Although some are very simple, others, often times are not. Three examples included will be Koyaanisqati, Matthew Barney, and Non Grata.Koyaanisqati was a video about technology versus nature. At first it just seemed to me as a video of nature and blowing things up. After deep thought and class discussion it really meant something to me. Although the music in the video disturbed my thought, there were parts where I was so mesmerized I was able to block the music out without even being aware of what I was doing. The artist wanted us to find the meaning without being told and that is exactly what I did. Although the person next to me may have thought something different, it meant something to me.Matthew Barney is another great character in the art industry. At first I was appalled by his series but that was only because I was just looking at the surface of his work and you need more to understand art. In Barney’s Cremaster films he was giving his point of view of the cycles in life. At first I did not catch on. After much research and watching videos I really understood them a lot more and actually saw much more of the cycles of “life.”Non Grata was my favorite. I think going to their show was a great experience for me. I had a great time and was really glad I went. It is easy to be scared of what you don’t know, but once you take that step you could be hooked for life. Non Grata is now my favorite performing artists because it is very interesting and keeps you hooked on the entire time. Although I would like to know what is going on in their minds when coming up with these things, I will check up on them often to see if there is anything new going on.Pluralistic or Noisy? The answer is BOTH. Art is how we perceive it and how we take it in. We have all heard that one man’s noise is another man’s music, but we already knew that. I can definitely say that the three I mentioned above would be something I will tell people about and keep researching on because what used to shock me now interests me.Savannah Sorgenfrei
From what we have seen from the various artist from this class, I can say that art can come from anything. Art is becoming more diverse and has many shapes, ways and forms. Performance art is art not being paraded around and seen for just that one moment for that time period. They might be taped just to show the performance due to the scale of it or viewing at the right time. Art has been criticized since the beginning of time. Many famous artist work when they first began weren't considered pieces of art. It takes time and understanding for something to catch on. Now there are exceptions because if a famous person carries around a Prada bag of course people will want it also. When this happens to art people just jump to conclusions without understanding the meaning itself.
Art comes in many forms now and people will like it or hate it. No one is an expert in all fields of art to tell a person that their work is good or bad. Rap artist were out casted from the music society when they first entered and finally got into their right category. Imagination makes art not the people viewing it. If people just made art from what society wants everything would seem the same. The use of many things like nudity or even dog poop will create noisy ideas and pluralistic ideas. What one person says can not be the voice of all. A collage is art that doesn't have a set rule to it. One can make it as big or small as they want to. They can use all the colors and size to their hearts content. People will use art to express themselves just like freedom. It sets them apart from others making individuals. From the individuals new ideas are born. It is like a cycle that nothing can off set it. So the pluralistic or noisy ideas doesn't matter art is just art.
In my personal opinion, everything can be a form of art. From everything we studied in class, there are some things that I personally thought was just weird but some people enjoyed and could familiarize themselves with that form of art. I believe performance art is harder to prove as “proper,” because I believe it is more of a form of entertainment. But to some people, the clothes and other little things used are a form of art.
Art is like another sense to a person, some people are attracted to certain things but absolutely hate other things, which makes art unique. It is more of an opinion relating their thoughts. What other people imagine from an artist’s work might be different from the artist’s itself, but only the artist knows what their intentions are. For example, Chris Ofili’s “Virgin Mary” was very offensive to me when I first saw it. After studying the artwork I found out that the “shit” used was considered sacred to the artist’s heritage, but the porn pictures on the artwork was controversy to his “holy work,” which led me to the opinion of a hypocritical artist.
Some work is done for a specific purpose, to get a reaction out of you. Either a positive or negative, it is up to the viewer’s discretion. Work such as Jackson Pollock’s can be viewed and criticized by many, but the work is being sold for millions of dollars. Even with critics destroying his work with criticism, other people see it as a very valuable masterpiece. The only way to judge art in my opinion is to look at the artist’s culture and heritage, also with his motivation and his goals. Art is very diverse in people’s point of views because of everyone’s different styles. Keep your opinions to yourself and don’t judge a piece of art because remember, “One person's noise is often another person's music.”
Through the days of this semester, I have been introduced to all styles of artfrom painting to sculptures to lights to films. Critics nowadays say that a lot of artist mess up art because of the odd and unique ways they make or display it. I believe that art is what you make of it, for instance what art is to me might be garbage to someone else, it all depends on how you see art.
When Picasso was painting people hated his work to the point where they wouldnt even call it art. Picasso would give his paintings away because people would not buy it from him. Now that Picasso is dead people realized that art is what you make of it, now people are buying his paintings for millions of dollars and he is now considered one of the biggest artist in the world.
Another artist is Jackson Pollock who his art was made by throwing paint on to a canvas with multi colors. For years he tried to get his paintings to sell but the fact that people never seen anything like his paintings they didnt consider it real art, but once again after his death his paintings are now worth millions.
I dont believe people should put restrictions on art because I believe art is all about what you make of it. I wouldnt be surprised if long down the word they make going to the bathroom a form of art lol. What is art to me might be garbage to someone else.
Throughout this course I’ve learned much about art that I never knew before. This course has broadened my perspective of art and what it conveys; what it means.
When I hear the statement “one person’s noise is another person’s music,” I have to agree strongly with it. Art has a diffrent meaning to everyone. Art is not for enjoyment alone; it does not exist just to make us “feel good.” Great art opens a passage not only to our inner selves but also to the outer world. It implicitly teaches us structure and coherence through its design at the same time it encourages us to “see” both nature and all living things, including ourselves, more perceptively.
This is what defines art as being so valuable. Art arises emotions in one person that it may not in another. Every person interprets art diffrently.
My favorite artist was Jackson Pollock. However to someone else it might just look look like splattered paint. Jackson Pollocks paintings; thrown, whipped, paint reminds me of my thought process sometimes. I cab relate to his art through the scramble in my life.
"One person's noice is my music"
Andre Ward
During this course, I have seen many different forms of art that I have never been introduced to before. This class has helped me to broaden my perspective on what exactly my taste of art really is. I use to believe art was just an odd expensive painting but art can be referred to as a diverse range of human activities including music, literature and other forms such as sculptures, paintings, and music.
The phrase "one person’s noise is another person’s music" is an accurate explanation of art. Critics such as the ones in the film "Who the F%$# is Jackson Pollock", can try to determine what art really is by placing a price and a rating on it. To me, that is incorrect. Art can simply be defined as a way a person is able to give self expression through material items. Critics can ruin a persons dream of becoming an artist by trying to tell the world what is or is not art.
I have my own taste in what I like in art, but I would never say a piece of work isn’t art. For example, society may feel tattooing is a demonic way of expressing yourself and sometimes is not excepted in the business world. Tattoos are just a form of expression, instead of someone telling a person everyday they love them, they might just tattoo that persons name on them because it symbolizes a permanent emotion that will never go away. It may fade through time, but will be a part of them forever.
Art is beautiful and unique in its own way. It brings happiness and tranquility to many people. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and ones noise may be another’s music.
Pluralistic or Noisy? Who is to say what art is and what it isn’t? People are always judging other people in an attempt to make themselves feel more secure. When somebody judges another’s art I believe they are doing the same thing because often enough a persons art carries much of who that person is and there ideas and beliefs within whatever form of art that may be.
If an art critic’s child brought home a finger painting from his kindergarten class is his father going to tell him, “That’s not art. It’s too noisy and has no form?” That’s probably not going to happen unless he’s a complete douche bag. I think people should criticize and feel free to dislike art that doesn’t suit their own taste or beliefs, but to say what is and isn’t art is taking a running leap over the line. The anthropological definition of art goes as follows.
Art: the application of imagination, skill and style to matter, movement and sound that goes beyond the purely practical.
There are countless ways to create art from dancing on a strip pole to designing the next great sky scraper. All will be liked and disliked but will still remain a form of art.
I don't really know what else I could add, but I think I got my point across. Thank you for introducing me to artists and defintely art forms that I never new existed. If you teach any other courses I'd love to know what they are. My e-mail is
~~~ Sublime6885@aol.com ~~~
Thanks again for the knowledge.
Noise is the sound of something unpleasant, is there a visual equivalent? A symphony of jackhammers and clanging garbage cans can be beautifully choreographed into an artistic performance, yet for the guy down the street this performance could be one huge unpleasant headache. Jackson Pollock's "Number One" can be a complete mess to someone like Teri Horton who would only pay 5$ for it, but it is valued at $150,000,000 by the Art world. Where would the imaginary "Art/NotArt" line begin if there were strict guidelines set down when determining the validity of Art. People like Pollack, Barney, Picasso and so many others might have been lost to the world.
There are people who take advantage of the fact that anything can be called art today. Art has become such a huge business that one single item can sell for over 150 million dollars. The outrageous prices that are paid for some things almost sickens me , when a corporation will spend millions of dollars for wall decorations and clam up when asked to invest some of their profits back into the community. One Jackson Pollock painting could have paid for the upkeep on the New Orleans levies. The fact that Art can be profitable far beyond the medium that its made of has tempted greed in some people. I can mangle a 10 dollar stack of metal and claim that it is abstract art and ask for hundreds of dollars for it, and people would blindly hand over the money if it asthetically pleased them. The word Art has lost its meaning. Everything and Anything is Art.
Art has been debased by many things, the biggest disappointment in Art is that people think Art is only worth what other people would pay for it. Art should not be about getting paid, or expressing wealth. Art is human nature expressing itself, the world should never try to suppress expression.
No one should be pompous enough to claim that one thing is art and another thing isn't. Art is fluid, and changes and splits off into many different directions, somethings will not be appreciated until much later, so we shouldn't deny a person's vision, we should try to see it how they see it. This class has taught me that I should try to experience Art, not just look at it.
Throughout this semester, I have learned that art cannot just be thought of as one thing. It cannot be judged with a narrow eye, and it cannot ever be “noisy”.
When we began this course, I tried to see art, such as the saphron central park, as one thing, I tried to see it as “pretty”. I later really truly looked at the photos, and saw what I think the artist was trying to say. When I showed my friend the photos, she just said it looked like party decorations, not art, which really got me thinking about what is art.
Art is everything and everywhere, whether it is a song or a painting or a dance it is inescapable. Taking this class has really helped me to see that you cannot just close your eyes to it. When we saw The Holy Virgin Mary, I was disgusted at first, I mean porn and elephant dung, not really what you think of when you think of beautiful art. However, when I really opened my eyes and REALLY saw what I was looking at, I could see the meaning behind the dung. Performance art is another thing that for me was hard to understand at first, but once I saw NONGRATA and what they do, I could see how meaningful their work is. No critic, or mayor, or even another artist can ever say that art is stupid or pointless.
This class has taught me how to really see art and appreciate it, and although I don’t like every piece or performance, like matthew barney’s work, I can respect it, because it takes a lot of courage and feeling to admit everything into an open space.
In this class we have discussed and seen many varieties and forms of Art. Before taking this class, when I heard the word art, what came to my mind was a painting or sculpture. But after seeing the things in this class, that has totally changed my views towards art. Art is very fascinating in every way. The only thing that might be difficult about it is understanding what that painting, sculpture, performance, etc is about and looking beyond that.
Pluralistic or noisy? Well I have to agree with that one person’s noise is often another person’s music. Everyone has their own taste in things and express feelings, emotions, etc in their own way. Every person has the right to have their own opinions towards things such as art. I think art does have it’s own limits because it’s important for an artist to get their message across to the viewers and express their thoughts in the way they think it can be showed. Some performances like the NON GRATA didn’t really get my attention because I didn’t know what it was all about. I’m pretty sure the performance was well thought out and there was a meaning behind it, but I felt like it was hidden because I wasn’t really able to figure it out. That is all of course my opinion towards some art I saw. I also think that the same thing goes for music. When an artist is writing their lyrics, they are basically expressing their thoughts, but I think that it is not always necessary for everyone to capture that same thought. Every individual has their own way of thinking and looking at things.
In the art world, I have noticed that every person can be criticized for any work that they do. The answer to the criticism is that some people have their own opinions and if they think something they have seen isn’t worth what others think it should be, they criticize it. Art to me is beautiful and I think every piece of art has it’s own mind, it’s just weather or not one is willing to think beyond it and understand it’s meaning.
-Ayesha Munaf
p.s. I checked out some of your pictures of performances and paintings and I think they are pretty neat :) have a good summer!
Art is something that is about perception. No right or wrong, only what you see and how you choose to express yourself.
However if you share your art with others, you are opening yourself up to other people's opinions. Personally, I like art that makes me think. Something that makes me look farther into it than a glance and saying "That is a forest."
This is why I love collage art. Most of the people think that collages look too cluttered, and that it has too much going on. I think that is the best part about it. It is amazing to have so much to say and express that you can't do it in a single portrait.
Looking into all of the little pieces of the collage takes you step by step a little closer into the artist's soul. It takes just as much planning, time, and patience for collages as it does to paint something like the Mona Lisa. I love to look at collages and try to figure out what was going on in the artist's head and why things are in certain positions.
I think that if people want to call themselves art experts, they should consider that collage is also a form of self expression. The definition of art straight from dictionary.com is "the quality, production, expression, or realm, according to aesthetic principles, of what is beautiful, appealing, or of more than ordinary significance." Art is about expression of self and what you believe to be beautiful. As far as collage goes, I think it is definetly a form of art.
Everyone knows that art is an outward expression of the painter’s feelings that comes out with every stroke of the brush, of course the artist’s work is open to interpretation.
The Holy Virgin by Chris Ofili he saw a work of art others saw an offensive depiction of a holy figure. It even being band from a New York art show just shows how extreme people’s interpretation of a work of art can be. It is however a good still a great piece that symbolizes his faith as well as his roots.
Jackson Pollock fell under the continues scrutiny from the experts about his paintings and how they could not put his works into a specific style. Then once he began his style that’s when the scrutiny ended for him. People however looked at his work and just saw paint thrown everywhere on the canvas. There was really no meaning by it except maybe it was the chaos in his life.
Much like music art is considered to noise; depending on the certain style that one likes is how they are going to be drawn to the piece, like if you’re a child of the 50s you’re probably going to find heavy metal loud and obnoxious.
Justin
The fact is, art can be classified as just about anything visible to and created by the human psyche. However, people’s perception of art varies by a great degree around the world. Art forms such as collage and performance are often portrayed to art, as noise is to music for many reasons.
Among the billions of people around the world, the are billions of opinions and believe it or not there not all the same. Take advertisement for example. Advertisement is an art form that has been around for hundreds and hundreds of years and while one person puts his blood sweat and tears into creating a billboard advertisement or commercial another is overwhelmed and annoyed by the constant bombardment of this particular form of art.
Art is what you make it. Anything can become a piece of artwork and just because someone else has a different opinion or perception of your art doesn’t in any way mean the quality or significance of that piece is degraded or diminished in an way what so ever. Take Jackson Pollock for example. People will ridicule this artist and his art works for years and years to come but does that mean any of his work will loose significance? Hardly. This can be said about and be proven to any artist that ever walks the earth. Another good example would be the Non Grata show in Hyde Park we were invited to. Some people would walk in- or up to the front door for that matter- and truly not know what to think to themselves. For others it was a complete 180 and they found it to be wonderful and extensive collaboration fine art and performance. One person’s noise is another’s music
There are extreme cases when it comes to this matter. Some forms of art are beautiful to some while they are a complete disgrace and slap in the face to others. Particularly when an art for places emphasis on the demise or disrespect of another culture, religion or way of life. A great example of this would be Chris Ofili’s “The Virgin Mary” Ofili created this piece of art (no bias) as any other artist would have- through inspiration and devotion. When created, Ofili and many others regarded it as an articulate and collaborative masterpiece. On the other hand it was ridiculed, criticized and regarded as Mayor Rudi Juliani put it, “sick stuff”.
Art is anything you want it to be and that is the bottom line. No one can say what art is and what art isn’t. While art is constantly compared and priced, no one piece is truly superior to another. The price tag may set an artworks value in many eyes but in many more it means nothing.
Jesse Bishop
Art, like life, is to be experienced on the individual level. The whole world revolves around ourselves and we interpret and perceive things according to our own beliefs, aesthetics, and backgrounds. What one might find significant another might find corrupt or immoral, because in the art world there are many boundaries, and fame is only granted to those who can manipulate the standards without crossing the line. However to those that do traverse over the fine line of social acceptance: a distinct notoriety is bestowed.
Last year Costa Rican artist Guillermo Vargas displayed a starving dog tethered just out of reach of food in a Nicaraguan gallery. Vargas called his installation “Conceptual Art” ; however many others deemed it “Animal Cruelty”. As the art world continues to evolve and develop a more and more radical persuasion; a new level of acceptance must also emerge. Gallery owners who normally love providing forums for budding artists are now concerned that radical works, such as Vargas’ dog, will offend their guests.
Similar is the Chris Ofili incident where New York Mayor, Rudy Giuliani, tried to shut down a museum exhibiting a painting of the Virgin Mary articulated with various mediums; including the most controversial, elephant dung. In most of these instances, where art is considered unacceptable by the general public, the art world speaks out in favor of free expression and illuminates the artistic merits of the work.
As the concepts and ideas bred by the art world progress into an atheistic and fearless future; the articulation of these concepts and ideas become seemingly more and more extreme. Many remain intolerant to the present liberalism of the art community. Others see the radicalism as a poignant vice in the expression of the artist’s message.
Pluralistic or Noisy?
This semester I have learned the various kinds of art such as, collages, installations, performance arts, sculptures and music. Most pieces of art are constructed from an artist’s feelings or mood. Believe it or not, music is art as well even though most is not understood. Music and art both have a certain meaning weather it’s about sex or the beach. The thing that makes them different is the way individuals perceive it.
For example “She lick me like a lollipop…” (Lyric universe 1). This is line from one of Lil’ Wayne’s songs. As you can see there is a pretty clear meaning behind what he’s saying but, it’s left up to you to decide if that’s art. I think certain types of music should be considered art and not just random profanity. Sometimes unnecessary language is needed to get a strong idea across and it allows an artist to express their emotions to the fullest extent as well as add an artistic spin to their work.
On the other hand there are painting that make you think as well, such as Chris Ofili’s Virgin Mary. This painting uses a mixture of elephant dung and pornographic images to depict the Virgin Mary. The do not consider this art at all it’s disgusting but, another person could think it is beautiful. Our personal experiences contribute greatly to one’s outlook on art and what is deemed offensive. For example, a nun would probably see Ofili’s painting as a disgrace to the church but on the other hand a art history teacher can see the great deal of emotion put forth.
In conclusion artists have multiple ways to express themselves through mediums such as songs, murals, and many others. One person’s trash is another persons treasure, is an old adage that is applicable to art as well. After taking this class I can see that paintings aren’t just merely a wall fixture but an expression of an individuals inner emotions and how they chose to display this may not be the most aesthetically pleasing object but it’s still art because it involves the mind.
-TYLER ELLIS
http://www.artthrob.co.za/99oct/images/ofili01a.jpg > Virgin Mary
http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/lilwayne/lollipop.html > Song
When deciding if a piece is art or not, one should consider the purpose of all art. Artists use art as a way of expressing themselves. Their art work may encompass their feelings, family issues, political issues, global issues etc. Art can make the viewer question all or part of his or her own reality. Thus, it is hard to put a set definition on art since it means something different to everyone. Art is not a one way street but an interstate in all directions. There is no right way to creating. That being said I wouldn’t define or judge art based on the aesthetic appeal of it but the emotions put into it and the feelings it incites. So, if the perceiver is infected with emotions when viewing a piece of expression- whether it be happiness, sadness, anger or even a feeling of detachment- it is art. So all art, including painting, sculpture, performance art or any other form of expression, is art and should be treated as so.
Kristen graves
In my mind, art and music and pretty much the same. Music is art and art is music. I feel that people need to understand this. We all have different tastes in music, and we all feel that we can defend or favorite genres as being good or not. Art is the exact same way. I almost feel offended when the elitists of the art world say something isn’t art. That’s like saying some genres of music are noise. In my opinion, the three art forms mentioned should indeed be considered art.
Cremaster and the Non Grata works did not appeal to me, however I am intrigued by performance art as a whole. I had never heard of performance art before this class, and for me, it was like being introduced to a new genre of music. In all genres of music, just like art, there are artists that may not execute their work in the best way present that genre. I felt this way about both series of works. I have the same feeling about folk rock. Of the few bands I have experienced, I am still fascinated by the genre and want to hear some of the better bands. I imagine that some of my peers considered both series to be noise, just as a lot of people hate all rock.
I, personally, am not a huge supporter of collage. I do understand that it is art and that some collages can even appeal to me. Rap is the exact same way for me, but there are still a select few of songs that I have heard in the last year or two that I really like. I actually, truly, have yet to see a collage I really like, but, hopefully, I’ll be lucky enough to find one I like soon.
Everyone needs to learn tolerance of art and music, especially those artist elitists. Traditional art forms are always nice, but they do get boring. These newer art forms, in my opinion, are a refreshing change from the old art forms that we have had for centuries. We are experiencing an art revolution, and I feel that we should embrace it.
Please check for my midterm entry as well.
Pluralistic or noisy? In my mind that shouldn’t even be a question. The answer should always be pluralistic. As a human race over millennia we have explored new thoughts and new ideas. We have traveled every continent, and we have been off of this planet many, many times. We commend our explorers and adventurers in our history books, but we criticize and even omit some of our art and music. It boggles my mind that art and music would not be treated the same way as the other aspects of culture. A question I have is why is it that people seem to be more accepting of writing that has taken on change, but insist on being so judgmental about art and music?
I remember in history and English classes growing up we learned about the nature of our country and the histories of other great nations. We were taught about writing from the scratching on cave walls from ancient times to the great works of the Bronte sisters, and on to some of the more non-accepted writings of every semi-celebrity who has an auto-biography. We’ve been taught every style and type of essay, novel, or poetry. Hell we’ve even written a lot of it. But as far as art and music are concerned all the knowledge I have on those subjects I either learned on my own or in this class.
As a society Americans seem to have this aversion to acknowledging anything outside the very strict predetermined standards. That seems so hypocritical to me when for about five minutes there was talk of teaching Ebonics as another language in urban schools. But Graffiti is considered “unsightly.” It’s even referred to as “criminal art.” What’s funny to me is that until I looked up graffiti on Wikipedia I had no idea that it has been around since ancient Greece. Graffiti is one of the oldest forms of art known to man and yet it still deems little respect.
It’s a shame that people’s different taste can determine how the masses think. We preach free thought and encourage idealism, but that only applies when we stand to gain from it or when it falls within someone else’s boundaries right? Maybe one day in our lifetime we will see more tolerance and a better understanding of we fight to protect. I’m not a religious person, but I agree that no matter what faith, what belief, or what ideals one has no right to stand in judgment of another.
Pluralistic or noisy?
I really don’t know what pluralistic meant until I looked it up. Its meaning is that it existence of different group within society. When I first started this class, and seeing the art I would totally agree with the noisy part of the question. I always thought that art was what a person painted or has drawn. When I seen art as picture taken from a camera or even acts such as NONGRATA they seem weird. I now have a different outlook on art. I don’t think that you can know what a artist is painting unless they really want you to know. Art can mean one thing to me and mean a totally different thing to someone else. So I would think that art is pluralistic because the art that the artist is making make them different or stand out.
Kelly Hayes
There is a division in the art world. Never can there be any doubt to that fact. On one side you have artists who do interpretations and design based on the literal world and when you look at it, it is most people's thoughts on what they believe art is. Paintings, sculpture, drawings; this is what the world sees as art. On the other side are the artists who always seem to want to reform art... take it from the commercial aspect into almost otherworldly terms to express themselves. However, the true argument is... which side is right? What is the gray area between the types and how fine is the line between what is pluralistic and what is noisy?
One example is a recent exhibition at the Israeli museum in which artists caught head lice to play into the theme of hosts and guests. It is “in the name of art” as the artists put it. Now then... should catching head lice and living on display be considered art? In my opinion- no. Hosting head lice for a period of time to make a theme is, in effect, simply gross and I believe a mockery of the work that artists who spend their lives in the uses of mediums so they can create. To prove a point in protest is different than calling an installation like this art.
That moves onto what commercial artists do. Fine artists do work for themselves, to prove points and use it as examples of their thoughts on the world and protest. Commercial art, which I believe is practically every other type, does the opposite. They create by their hand pieces that they have spent time to come up with to present to their clients. Artists are craftsmen, they usually do this by profession, and it is both a talent and a career they have worked at. It is developed through their entire life and like most crafts, they will improve until the day that they die.
The comparison of these two types of art is that... art needs to be something that you, as an artist, not only feel when you create but other people get true feeling from. In a way installation and performance art is a a form of propaganda, just forcing people to look at things but in a far more obscure way. To get to the masses about what goes on in the world and how to correct it, it is often best to go for the jugular in a blunt fashion as most more literal art does. Art is communication; you shouldn't have to be in the art scene to understand what it is saying.
To conclude, I feel that most installation and performance art is, in direct terms, noisy. Just as I would prefer listening to the sounds of a symphony rather than the shuffling of the audience's footsteps, it is more pleasant Among that, the reason for which more fine art is put out there to reach an objective it is not reached. Art is visual communication; it teaches, informs, and forces people to look at the world in a different light. It is the craft that some people attempt to master to keep their heads above water. It is, in my opinion, that not everything is art and that the market should see such to give those who truly work at their talent a fighting chance.
-Jessica Montgomery
Art is the quality, production, expression, or realm, according to aesthetic principles, of what is beautiful, appealing, or of more than ordinary significance, as said by dictionary.com. To me, art is something that catches my eye and can make me think about what I am seeing. I believe art can be found in and among everything, especially if you appreciate you are seeing/hearing/imagining.
Two people can look at the same image, and interpret it differently. That’s why everyone has a different point of view not only in everyday life and decisions but in art as well. As far as collage, installation, and performance art, I think they are all forms of art. Collages have the ability to capture many different stories or ideas to make a “main point.” Performance art is very general but then again a painting can tell a story as well as a dance or a show.
I don’t think it would be fair for someone to tell someone else that their “music is another persons noise”. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and as cliché as that sounds, I firmly stand behind that. Variations and variety allow for individualism. How boring would it be if you didn’t have the ability to like or dislike anything? Art is a release for many people, and their work is an expression of themselves.
A lot of the well known artist for back when, were criticized for their paintings and are now worth millions. I think art is highly influenced on individual preference. Some people enjoy seeing think brush strokes while others prefer water color. Same goes for music. Some people would rather listen to country rather then rap.
I strongly agree that one persons “noise” can be another’s “music”, but I also believe that, that person’s noise is music in their ears.
Art is everywhere! We grow up with it, express it, teach it, etc. Our everyday lives are filled with art and many of us do not even realize it. To me, art can be anything and everything. In this class, I have learned the importance of a person’s individuality. I used to think that art was just painting, sculpture and architecture. Now I know that it can be clothing, jewelry, music, live performance, a light show, etc. Some art I do not necessarily think is beautiful, or worth my time, but it should be recognized all the same.
First, I would like to mention paintings/drawings, because it is the number one form of art. Some can be sexy, while others are insulting or even hard to even understand. My opinion is that it should be considered art anyway. The painting that we studied in class by Chris Ofili was different to say the least. I for one would not pay money to have it in my home, but I know that another person would.
Secondly, who has the right to say what is acceptable? Everyone is raised with different beliefs and people are entitled to there own opinion. For example, I did not care for some things that were done in the performance by Nongrata, but it was still beautiful. Some parts of the show made me feel uncomfortable and scared. Although those things happened to me, I feel like my tolerance level is much higher than before. Many kinds of art are growing on me now.
In conclusion, I feel like there are not enough acts of open mindedness about art. I guess that I should not complain. The world was very different even twenty years ago. It is an objective topic, I know, but the more we accept other ideas, then the more we can grow as a society. I would also like to point out that the Cremaster cycles were great. That man is very talented. It was so opposite of what I normally find entertaining, and yet, I loved it. I am glad I took this class, even though I did not want to. I thought why would I want to learn about art when I am going to school for a veterinary certification? Now I know. It is about appreciation, tolerance and understanding of not only pretty pictures, but many points of view!
Thanks for a great class Rachel Hoffman. It actually did open my eyes.
During this semester we have seen and experienced many unique things that some people would not consider art. When most people think of art they imagine a beautifully painted portrait on a canvas. But art is so much more than just the ability to draw or paint. It is about expressing yourself. Sometimes people may take it too far and others feel they are destroying art. Regardless of the form, certain decency is expected from the artist. But even if the work may be offensive or abnormal, as long as it appreciated it should be respected and considered art.
In performance, installation, and collage art forms there is a lot of freedom. Many artists like to be different and tend to find unique ways of expressing themselves. Sometime the artists go too far and controversy ensues. Chris Ofili’s The Holy Virgin Mary was a shocking piece of work that many people thought was inappropriate. The piece was viewed as blasphemy and it was called disgusting. It received the Turner Award in UK and is a very popular work of art. While many considered the painting to be garbage others appreciated the humor and inventiveness.
In music offensive lyrics happen all the time. Rappers today use vulgar language that is degrading and they send the wrong message to society. Many people don’t enjoy the loud bass music and the rhythmic talking. The biggest criticism of rap music is its misogynistic, drug related, and violent lyrics. People such as Bill O’Reiley and Oprah have condemned rap music. Rappers defend themselves by saying rap is art and that’s who they are. People appreciate the different styles and the inventive lyrics. The lyrics are sometimes poetic and the metaphors used can be very clever. This style of music is loved by some but to others its just noise.
Although these forms of art are not considered legitimate by some people they are appreciated by others. If a person doesn’t enjoy that style of art then don’t look at it or don’t listen to it. Everyone is entitled to their opinion but not everyone will agree with it. The art should still be respected and the artist should still continue to express themselves. While it may be considered noise or garbage to some its a masterpiece to others. There is no definition of art and art will continue to change and grow as society evolves.
Art is defined as the quality, production, expression, or realm, according to aesthetic principles, of what is beautiful, appealing, or of more than ordinary significance. Traditionally the term art was used to refer to any skill or mastery, a concept which altered during the Romantic period, when art came to be seen as a special faculty of the human mind to be classified with religion and science. But even an elephant can make a few brush strokes on a canvas and people will call it art and spend $450 for the piece. People writing about elephants painting make it sound like the elephant knows what it is doing when painting, using certain brushstrokes and using a color scheme. If the elephant knows what it is doing then she/he would effortlessly paint just to get rewarded with things like peanuts. Yet during the learning stage, the mahouts, people who help the elephants with their paintings, generally select the colors and determine when a painting is finished.
So is it really the elephant’s “artwork” or the mahouts that help the elephants? Are the people really buying the elephant’s “artwork” because they think it is art or are they sponsoring the conservation project? If everything was to be considered art, the values that art holds would decrease dramatically.
http://www.elephantart.com/catalog/thailand.php
Eugenia Paszek
During this semester we have seen and experienced many unique things that some people would not consider art. When most people think of art they imagine a beautifully painted portrait on a canvas. But art is so much more than just the ability to draw or paint. It is about expressing yourself. Sometimes people may take it too far and others feel they are destroying art. Regardless of the form, certain decency is expected from the artist. But even if the work may be offensive or abnormal, as long as it appreciated it should be respected and considered art.
In performance, installation, and collage art forms there is a lot of freedom. Many artists like to be different and tend to find unique ways of expressing themselves. Sometime the artists go too far and controversy ensues. Chris Ofili’s The Holy Virgin Mary was a shocking piece of work that many people thought was inappropriate. The piece was viewed as blasphemy and it was called disgusting. It received the Turner Award in UK and is a very popular work of art. While many considered the painting to be garbage others appreciated the humor and inventiveness.
In music offensive lyrics happen all the time. Rappers today use vulgar language that is degrading and they send the wrong message to society. Many people don’t enjoy the loud bass music and the rhythmic talking. The biggest criticism of rap music is its misogynistic, drug related, and violent lyrics. People such as Bill O’Reiley and Oprah have condemned rap music. Rappers defend themselves by saying rap is art and that’s who they are. People appreciate the different styles and the inventive lyrics. The lyrics are sometimes poetic and the metaphors used can be very clever. This style of music is loved by some but to others its just noise.
Although these forms of art are not considered legitimate by some people they are appreciated by others. If a person doesn’t enjoy that style of art then don’t look at it or don’t listen to it. Everyone is entitled to their opinion but not everyone will agree with it. The art should still be respected and the artist should still continue to express themselves. While it may be considered noise or garbage to some its a masterpiece to others. There is no definition of art and art will continue to change and grow as society evolves.
When thinking about art it is one of the most opinionated subjects in the world. The art work from one artist may appeal to so many and to others may be something that they would throw away in the trash!
In this class we leanred so much about the opinions of critics and that of non art major people. We watched as a older wonem found an art painting that to her was just apint thrown all over the canvas and something that she would never put in her house, and giving it to a friend who was down in the dumps, to relaizing that she may indeed have an actual real life painting form an artist who had often givein his paintings out for money and food. It took this lady a really long time to convinse the art world that she indeed have a real painting. But even the best cant tell the difference.
We also learned that different colors mean different things to people. The color red can mean love and lust but can also mean anger and blood which could lead to death. Its amazing how something known world wide can mean so many different things.
But in the end judgeing art work for its beauty and realness is like how people choose the ones that hey fall in love with to one person they maybe the worst lloking human being in the whole world but to that certain someone they are the best thing that could have happened to their life. You cant really say whats art and whats not its all in the eye of the beholder!
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