What is Art?

**Idea** 24^th February 2014

I did a list of Art is a..

Here are some explanations for why I chose these words.

Bare in mind I am not saying these statements are what Art is; I am simply questioning and trying to make the viewer think about Art from a different perspective.

The confidence this piece expresses through its color and the words “Art is a” will trigger debate and conversations.

Metaphor- Art generally is an object to express or represent another idea. This is what I talk about quit a lot, how Art is a representation of something else.

Corruption – what I mean by corruption is, corruption of the mind. Art is created through the viewer’s own mind. The viewers have their own ideas and interpretations from what is presented in front of them. Therefore, the Art that is presented influences the viewer to think a particular way. In that effect, does the Artist have some sort of power to influence the way a viewer sees things? If so who’s in power of the Art? The viewer or the Artist?

Unoriginal – is Art unoriginal? An idea from a piece of Art comes from inspirations and influences from something else?

Language – Art is a language, Art is a way of thinking, seeing and expressing. Art is used as language to express other emotions and thoughts, this also links in with Art being a metaphor.

While thinking about this I thought of the word integrity, is it important for an Artist to make Art with integrity? As a viewer would you know if it wasn’t?, I may add this word to my list.

Bruce Nauman

Bruce Nauman “One Hundred live and die” (1984) inspired the idea of a list. (Their you go, does that make my work unoriginal?) I like the idea of the words not existing until the viewer reads them. The idea and purpose of my work also wont exist until the viewer interacts with it.

By doing a list, it’s a good way to present triggers of thought.

Bruce Naumans work also has an aesthetically pleasing element to it. This is interesting because would his list be as successful if their was no attractiveness through the neon lights? The colors and different typography used in my work should also give of this element.

Wait, was that a contradiction? I am talking about my work not existing but then the appearance. Lets face it Art is one big contradiction, wait that’s another word to add to my list!!

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*IDEA** originally from 18^th February 2014

This is a piece of Art

I’m playing around with words as a form of Art to represent the idea. I put the words Art onto the back of a canvas.

The canvas is a good representation of paintings, a popular form of Art. I’ve turned the canvas around as a kind of protect towards Art. The words Art that are contained in the canvas, makes the canvas a piece of Art.

This is Art, because it says Art.

I say to people “come and look at my piece of Art, it is a good piece”, when they come and look, they see the word Art on the back of a canvas. This makes me think of the question, what do people imagine their going to see when I say “come and look at my Art?” does this piece fall below the expectations people think their going to see? It probably does, but I would expect, it would make the viewer think a bit differently, from it not being what they were expecting to see.

Its very literal but a rely good way to play with the idea and raise questions about Art.

Original idea 15^th January 15.21

Looking around the studio at university most of the Art that I see is painting on canvas. Is this what is expected of an Art student who does a Fine Art course?

I was thinking that maybe I should bring the canvas into my Art. I want to stick something on the canvas though, I do not actually want to paint onto it, which is the typical medium used on a canvas.

Originally, when the idea came to my head I thought about sticking an Orange onto the canvas. This is because an Orange is a fruit but also known as the color Orange. This is sticking to the idea of things that represent more then one thing as an example of Art itself.

The problem is the Orange would go moldy. This still could be very interesting as the Orange transforms on the canvas, but it is not the point.

So… I was eating an Orange in my studio and I left the peel on the table. When I came back the next day the peel had dried up. This was perfect, to put onto the canvas, with out worrying about it going moldy.

I put the Orange peel onto the canvas and it looked interesting for the fact that, its an Orange, but its not an Orange, it’s the color Orange, but the peel of an Orange and in fact its actually non of them things, because it’s a Satsuma peel.

Again, it follows the theme of my Art as numbers. It is something that can be interpreted many times just like Art itself.

This made me turn a new corner when I stepped back and looked at it and spoke to other people. By making a physical thing for example this piece, I’m trying to answer my questions of what is Art.

And the truth is my strength is to ask the questions, its not for me to answer the questions. That’s the viewers job.

So onwards and upwards, I’m going to stick to my word cutting from card and paper. I’m going to fill my studio space with questions about what the hell Art actually is.

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11th February

Feeling shit today, about my work. I don’t know why? I see others getting recognition for there Art and praise of their skill, and I get nothing. Clearly I’m not connecting enough with the viewer and not doing anything good enough to get my ideas across. I am feeling rely confused now, not entirely sure what I’m doing! Maybe I should pay someone to paint me a masterpiece and tell the viewers its mine because it was my idea.

I heard someone use the expression, “Feels like soup”, that’s exactly what I feel like my work is at the moment. I cannot quit grasp the concept and objective. I’m reading to many different things which is taking me down to many roads… so let me take a moment to rain it in.

What am i? who am i? What’s the objective?

Am I trying to break the illusion of Art?

What is the illusion of the Art?

Am I a protest?

What is the point?

Perfect time to express my frustrations. “wat is the point”

I kept to my theme of cutting out from colored card/paper, letters to make an image of language.

This could pose questions, like did I spell “what” wrong or did I do “wat” for a reason? This will give the viewer a trigger to a thought process, which then can be expanded on with the viewer’s own interpretations.

Wait…am I taking advantage of the viewer.

… not good enough!

Do I even need a point?

Feedback please, if you’ve read previous posts.

WHAT IS ART

Original notes of this idea are from 2 December 2013 12.23pm.

I went to the studio and I just sat there. I couldn’t think of anything Artistic to do. I cannot force myself to make and produce Art. I cannot just pick up a paint brush like the others and just paint. Sometimes I wish I could though.

So I made a sign saying “Art is shit”.

I put it on my studio wall so everybody could see it as people walked past. I don’t mean literally Art in general is shit…I don’t think?

My perception of Art is something very unpredictable with no boundaries. Potentially anything can be Art. There are no limits, as long as there is an explanation to justify it. Therefore, Art is Shit. So I guess this piece goes on to represents the hole question of what is Art

I have developed on the idea to cut letters out of different color paper and card, to develop into words. This process keeps physical work/skill to a limited. I said before in previous post’s using words keeps true to my ideas, rather then making a representation of an idea.

The color card that is used gives the words a kind of aesthetically pleasing look. (Even though aesthetics is not something, I am too bothered about in my work or the aim of my work it seems to be something forced upon me through the art world). I can’t deny that as the humans we are, it is natural for us to be drawn to things that looks nice.

So this brings me into another piece of work I developed into…

“Popularity makes money”

I say “Popularity Makes Money” because if a piece of work is liked and becomes popular, other people will notice the Art. As a result of a piece of Artworks popularity the gallery will snap it up, to bring the popularity to the gallery, resulting in making money.

I cut out “Popularity Makes Money” from some glitter paper rather then colored card this time. I chose glitter because it is typically an attractive element. Therefore it will look aesthetically pleasing to the eye for all the reasons stated above. This I’m hoping will force interaction with the viewers.

Could this piece of Art therefore be a contradiction in itself then?.

This hole questioning and quotes that I am going to be doing all will lean back to the idea and question of what is Art?

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