Forums → Art, Music, and Writing → What Makes Art "Art"?

I believe art is anything that has been created. It's that simple.

For me art is something that you put a bit of yourself into.

@ Bronze By humans or in general? Life can create life, so would a baby be art by your definition? Not trying to be picky, just trying to understand.

@EmperorPalpatine I guess you could take that literally

What Makes Art "Art"?
Emotions (good and bad)

Yep, I said everything.

@ivanxxxxxxxx Duchamp would challenge this view with his "Ready-mades": "By simply choosing the object (or objects) and repositioning or joining, titling and signing it, the object became art. ... He selected the pieces on the basis of "visual indifference""

@Bronze That's awesome! But at what point in it's creation does it become art? Would you say that Duchamp's Ready-mades also challenge your view?

@eunoic

Check this out

It can be said like this
Art is the best thing that comes out of you

Readymades? They don't impress me any, but they are art. The objects may not be created by the artist, but they do create an idea. Every viewer will see them differently, and even my disinterest in the readymades is an idea...created by the readymades. Ironic, ain't it?

The best definition of art is one I got from a teach I once had, it might have been in our text book too. The teacher said, "anything that the creator (of a work) says is art, is art." I find this better than the "art can be anything" definition, because, if this is the case, then art is a term that is no more limiting or different than the terms anything, something, or everything, thus making the word art their synonym (which it is not). At least with what my teacher said things can be considered art or not art which is a necessary classification to have art in the first place.

Also, this from Google sums it up nicely:

art

Noun

The expression or application of human creative skill and imagination, typically in a visual form such as painting or sculpture,...: "the art of the Renaissance"

Works produced by such skill and imagination.

Synonyms
craft - skill - artifice - science - workmanship - knack

We're basically saying the same thing Reton. The reason why I say anything created is art is because everyone has their own idea on what art is. No one is wrong, so you have to include each person's idea.

The work created a man.
The art created work.
The man created art.

@reton8 I like that! Anything that the creator says is art is art! However, what if the creator does not think what he/she has created is art, but other people do? Can it be art to individuals but not art to the creator?

I think that on this question Bronze has answered you several times.

@ivan I was just asking for reton's opinion. :/ To me it is an interesting question.

Also, that cycle is very interesting but what do the first two lines "The work created a man" and "The art created work" mean?