Is it Possible to Define ‘Art’ - 1656 Words

The expression or application of human creative skill and imagination, typically in a visual form such as painting or sculpture, producing works to be appreciated primarily for their beauty or emotional power. The above quotation is the Oxford Dictionary’s definition of art. It is one of the many definitions and theories written in answer to the question â€Å"what is art?† However, that very question implies an inhibited and essentialist answer such as â€Å"Art is†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Throughout the centuries philosophers, critics and authors have attempted to edge us ever nearer to the evasive concept that is ‘art’. It is an incredibly difficult concept and practice to theorise and define, especially in the twentieth century, as it is the very essence of art, as†¦show more content†¦Bell was also a key promoter of the idea that the value of a work of art is in direct correlation with its capability to produce an idiosyncratic aesthetic experience in the viewer. Bell described this experience as â€Å"aesthetic emotion†, and is something which the viewer can only achieve by viewing â€Å"significant form†. Bell believed that â€Å"aesthetic em otion†, in response to a piece of art’s significant form, occurred because the viewer sees the form as a direct link to an experience the artist had. The artists experience in turn, he suggested, was the experience of seeing ordinary objects in the world as pure form: the experience one has when one sees something not as a means to something else, but as an end in itself. Ultimately, Bell believed that ‘there is no state of mind more excellent or more intense than the state of aesthetic contemplation’ , and consequently, a work of art was of limitless value to him. However, Clive Bell has often been dismissed by those art critics and aestheticians who require meticulous logic in their field of study. They, as Thomas M. McLaughlin states: ‘point persuasively to his circular reasoning, inconsistencies, and even overt contradictions.’ In Art, written at the beginning of his career, Bell outlined the qualities needed for aesthetic thinking: ‘artistic sensibility and a turn for clear thinking.’ Nevertheless, many of his critics have questioned Bell’s own thinking and how ‘clear’ itShow MoreRelated Defintion Essay - Is it Possible to Define Art?615 Words   |  3 PagesDefintion Essay - Is it Possible to Define Art? Art is the intentional use of some medium to communicate emotions or ideas between minds. Some combination of the five senses is used to conduct information, so art may take the form of music, painting, sculpture, dance, and others. Art may be collaborative, as with the presentation of a symphony, which may involve a composer, a conductor, players, and a lighting crew all working to create the art of the presentation. Also, art occurs in at leastRead MoreDefinition Essay : Defining Art1654 Words   |  7 PagesDefining art is a frustrating and thought provoking idea, because to define art is the equivalent to putting up a wall and saying you cannot pass it, but as human nature works, someone will eventually attempt and succeed at crossing over the wall. I personally enjoy the thought of artists constantly breaking the barrier of things considered to be art, but I also enjoy the thought of people preparing definitions to share with the world, because it causes this ongoing controv ersy. I believe the mostRead MoreThe Definition Of Art As An Art Essay1155 Words   |  5 Pages The definition of art seems to be somewhat of a blurry line for many. What some may consider art, is just trash to others. What looks to some people like blotchy colors on a piece of canvas, may look to others like an elegant master piece beaming with life. Everyone sees art through a different set of lenses. 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The identity of an art form leaves room for speculation due to how all works are derivative of their influencesRead MoreHow can Art be Defined1086 Words   |  5 PagesThe search for a definition of Art has been subject of a complex philosophical reflection incorporated; however, within different thematics because the very idea of Art is changeable as it relies on the culture and the tradition of a particular epoch. Etymologically, the word Aesthetics derives from the Greek à  isthesis, which means perception by the senses. It used to refer as the study of the world of perceptions as the doctrine aimed to discover the complexity of perceptive knowledge. In ancientRead MoreHarmonization Of International Patent Law1350 Words   |  6 Pagesfacilitator of the same. 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