1. What is art?
“Art is an expression of our thoughts, emotions, intuitions, and desires, but it is even more personal than that: it’s about sharing the way we experience the world, which for many is an extension of personality” (Nieters, Philosophy Now).
I like this definition of art, because it highlights that art is personal. I strongly believe that art is a component of how an individual processed an experience or something that they have seen. It probably will have something to say about the artist as well as the object. Another thing that stood out to me in this definition is the word sharing. My favorite thing about art is that it can be shared with others, but even better the interpretations of art may say something completely different than the artist intended. This is very interesting to me.
“The fundamental difference between art and beauty is that art is about who has produced it, whereas beauty depends on who’s looking” (Leonardi, Philosophy Now). I somewhat agree with this explanation. What I don’t like about it is that it is somehow separating beauty and art. There is some truth to it though, that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. But I think that beauty more so is a part of the process of creating art. The artist may notice beauty as an inspiration for creating art, and wish to interpret this beauty in some form of art to capture and keep it. Now, what is beautiful is subjective. This means that what the artist finds beautiful is not going to be interpreted the same by everyone.
2.What is Art History? Why do we study the history of art? How does it help us understand the world in which we live?
Art history is probably the study of art through history, and the impact that it has had in history. By studying the history of art and how it has changed over time, we can understand various components of the culture of a certain era or country and we can find inspiration and understanding for how art is made today. There are many mediums for art today, but realistically I don’t think there are too many genuine ideas. Most ideas for art have been remixed from previous ideas, and this is just how the brain works. But looking at how art has changed over time can help us understand a history from which we come and how we can best move forward.
