Reply To: What is Art? What is Art History?

[Kaylyn Kelly]

Part 1:
After a quick search on the internet for “what is art” two definitions popped up. The first definition is, “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.” This is the definition that portrays art to its best ability. It explains that art is created through an individual’s creative skills and emotional skills and gives its readers examples of what art can usually be. I believe art is really about emotions and that when someone looks at a piece of art, they don’t just see how creative one individual can be. They can see the emotions of the piece/artist if they keep an open mind.
The second definition is, “the various branches of creative activity, such as painting, music, literature, and dance.” This definition is not necessarily wrong, but I believe that it is to simple when explaining what art truly is. Art is so much more than creative activity, and some of the information about art is left out of this definition.
Part 2:
The definition of Art history is “the academic study of the history and development of painting, sculpture, and the other visual arts.” Art is studied because it allows us to go back in time and somewhat see historical events. Individuals also get to experience past events through the lens of someone else. Each period is different and the art in each period changes due to the experience the artist had or felt. Art can show and tell us different stories about our history and also show us how much the world has changed.