Nothing can upset a group of creatively inclined people quicker than questioning what deserves the label of ‘Art’. I often ask others, “what is Art?” and delight as they wrestle with the thorny question. My favorite responses, in no particular order, are “Art is everything”, “anything you feel”, and “anything you make”. Upon reflection it is obvious that none of these answers suffice. To suggest that anything is Art negates the word of any meaning. Let me be clear, I am not saying that if something is not Art it is lesser than a thing that is. I greatly appreciate many things that are not Art. But if we wish to appreciate and create Art we must accept that some things are not.
The idea of Art is a complex and multifaceted concept. In order to understand what it is, you need to abandon the hope that there is a clear, simple and concise definition or set of criteria. The heart of the problem is one of language and semantics. We lack the appropriate vocabulary to classify the wide spectrum of creative activities humans engage in. I would like to suggest the idea of ‘Art’ and ‘art’. Many activities and things are art, lowercase. Fewer things are Art, capitalized. And I will assert that the word ‘Art’ should only describe objects. Performance, including the act of creating Art is just that performance. It is no doubt artistic but must be distinguished from Art. So how can you know what objects are Art? As I stated, there is no concise set of criteria. Each object must be considered on its own merits. No medium or type of object is always art. Furthermore, not every object created by an ‘artist’ (another troublesome word for another discussion) is Art. The creation of Art happens when intention and material interact in such a way to dynamically capture an expression of human experience. Artists strive for this. They do not always achieve it. Art can be created out of any material and in an infinite number of ways so you can never be certain that a thing is Art. Although to designate something Art you must make a determination based on objective qualities observed in the work. We may disagree from time to time but what is important is to look for that elusive quality that speaks to our collective experience of being.