Philosophy Discussion Forums | A Humans-Only Club for Open-Minded Discussion & Debate

[popeye1945]

I have seen several topics that ask if a certain genre of music, type of TV show, type of film, etc. is art. For instance, it wouldn't be unusual to hear someone say, Britney Spears is not an artist; she's just an untalented singer.

But that raises question, what is art? What makes one song artistic and another not so artistic? What makes one movie a work of art and another one just a recording? At what point does a sculpture become a piece of art rather than just a piece of rock? At what point does a painting become art as opposed to paint meaninglessly spilled on paper?

Basically, I would define art as expression through attractive symbolism. To use an example from above, the sculpture becomes art as opposed to just a piece of rock at the point when it expresses meaning from its creator.

What do you think? Can you provide a definition of art that is clearer, more elaborate or more accurate?

Art, I think is a celebration of being in general, but it is also experience, the creation of art by the artist is the artist attempting to give you a particular experience, and as it goes, if you have to ask what it is, the artist has failed, at least with you. I think the subject of art does not have to be the beautiful, there are a myriad of experiences to be had in the physical world. Think of Picaso's Garnica, the terrible devastation of war and its horrors. Experiences that you otherwise may never have had, it is a bit like a gift if the artist is successful, showing you an aspect of the world perhaps otherwise you would have missed.