“A work of art which did not begin in emotion is not art”- Paul Cézanne
When the question is asked, most people connect art with realistic paintings and fancy privileged white men. They picture The Starry Night, The Mona Lisa and The Last Supper. They remember Da Vinci, Vincent Van Gogh and Caravaggio. It is this popular perception of art that leaves the common person unprepared when they see Mark Rothko’s squares, Jean-Michel Basquiat’s skulls and Yayoi Kusama’s dots.
The thought then rises, what is art? The Pearl Earring with its magnificent lighting and unmatched precision can not fall in the same category as Jackson Pollock’s lame and pathetic splatters, can it?
First, let’s look at the common definition of art. Art is, according to Google, ‘the expression or application of human creative skill and imagination’. Yet, I doubt a banana with some tape on it (Comedian by Maurizio Cattelan) or a plain black square (Black Square by Kazimir Malevich) fit that definition. They both require no skill and zero imagination. Surprisingly, these works of art were extremely successful and were displayed in galleries. People paid insane amounts of cash for them. Are their creators evil geniuses taking advantage of society’s loose standard of ‘art’ or are they, truly, artists?
A few years ago, I remember strolling through our school’s gallery and thinking: “Oh boy, we have some talented students.” Beautiful paintings were displayed on the wall, their hues strong and vibrant. Often, neutral shades were used, resulting in serene and peaceful portraits of smiling faces. It was a very intriguing and special experience for a group of twelve-year-olds.
The moment was interrupted by a teacher’s unexpected cackle, “6.5 (a class present in the make-shift gallery) look around, this is art! Nowadays, a scribble of paint is sold for millions. They splash some paint and say that it’s the Eiffel tower! ” We all laughed at the sudden remark, and though we were clueless, we also nodded at what she said. Because seriously, how on earth could splatters of paint be considered art?
A more fitting description of art, and one that is somewhat uncommon, is something that stirs emotion in a person. These emotions are usually personal. For example, you may look at the green and blue hues in The Starry Night, brush strokes all dancing elegantly on a once empty canvas, and think to yourself, “This is beautiful!” and a friend may look at the same painting and think, “Well, that was overrated.” This experience may be similar to other works as well. Take ‘The Snail’ by Henri Matisse. You may despise its ugly, childish shapes but a sibling may love its gentle simplicity. Art is subjective.
As we finish the article, we can simplify the points made. Art is any work of self-expression that stirs emotion in people – the feeling can be negative or positive. An artist is a person who makes art regularly, regardless of its quality and complexity. And most importantly, art is a wide spectrum of vibrant and dull colours, boring and complex techniques and strange and sophisticated styles. In a way, art is everything around us.
