I enjoyed how this conversation threaded the idea of the history of art (the first art) to the concrete motif of the first art object (a garden) and how it morphed throughout the ages.
I admit, the garden was not something I had thought of as an art object. But, I do now! It's intentional--built for a purpose--shouldn't all art be this way?
The conversation Maggie's presentation sparked afterwards was one of, "What (really) is art these days?" The reality of the situation, I think, is that contemporaries find it hard to define the art of their present day situation. While we're in it, we don't fully understand its ins and out because we're too close. Still--I know what you're thinking--that's no excuse.
You're right. So, what is art, anyway? Not everything is art. There is a quality that makes it artistic. Is it the "how" you do it, that makes it art? The "why?" I think every age had to come up with "what is art?" (Much like Kierkegaard, sorry, bringing up the philosophers, again--much like Kierkegaard insisted that each generation need think for itself what it believes.)
We've been left with a legacy of post-war art, hyper-realist art, painters, and technology booms. So, what do we do with it all?
Well, that's where artists come in. Art is expanding. It is an expression of intention. Something for certain--art is moving toward an age of discovery in bridging the gaps between itself and other fields of study--art and science, say, in technology. Art and math, in CGI.
It's like art comes in this seed packet, where the instructions read as follows:
1 part fresh air
1 part materials
1 part time
7 parts thinking
Thinking. How to make real art: philosophize. ;) Thoughts are always in the air. And, thoughts are always expanding, the function of expressing. And, art is always an expression of intention. I think the two go quite well together.
I admit, the garden was not something I had thought of as an art object. But, I do now! It's intentional--built for a purpose--shouldn't all art be this way?
The conversation Maggie's presentation sparked afterwards was one of, "What (really) is art these days?" The reality of the situation, I think, is that contemporaries find it hard to define the art of their present day situation. While we're in it, we don't fully understand its ins and out because we're too close. Still--I know what you're thinking--that's no excuse.
You're right. So, what is art, anyway? Not everything is art. There is a quality that makes it artistic. Is it the "how" you do it, that makes it art? The "why?" I think every age had to come up with "what is art?" (Much like Kierkegaard, sorry, bringing up the philosophers, again--much like Kierkegaard insisted that each generation need think for itself what it believes.)
We've been left with a legacy of post-war art, hyper-realist art, painters, and technology booms. So, what do we do with it all?
Well, that's where artists come in. Art is expanding. It is an expression of intention. Something for certain--art is moving toward an age of discovery in bridging the gaps between itself and other fields of study--art and science, say, in technology. Art and math, in CGI.
It's like art comes in this seed packet, where the instructions read as follows:
1 part fresh air
1 part materials
1 part time
7 parts thinking
Thinking. How to make real art: philosophize. ;) Thoughts are always in the air. And, thoughts are always expanding, the function of expressing. And, art is always an expression of intention. I think the two go quite well together.
Taylor, thank you for your response to my presentation. As you directly stated, not everything is art. Can art be defined? Yes.
ReplyDeleteIn researching the history of parks and gardens I was able to understand why it was just recently artists used public spaces to plant seeds. However, such works remain outside the parks and gardens of the world. Why is that so?
My intent is to bring the public parks into main stream society as a way to produce food for local consumption while still maintaining the integrity of the park as a way to gather and play, relax and enjoy.
Of course there will be beautiful sculptures and there in is the art that makes this an art project.