Art comes in many different forms. From complex oil paintings, taking years to complete, to poetry, to music, love letters and imaginative pieces, the definition of art, is extremely broad.
The interesting thing about art, is that it can be experienced and appreciated on so many different ways. One may gaze and the beauty of the artwork of Leonardo Da Vinci or Van Gough, and interpret it in a specific way, while as the next person may conclude an entirely different meaning. There is something incredibly beautiful about the idea that we, as humans have been given the gift of artwork – being able to put pen to paper, painting to parchment and create a masterpiece.
Writing is a particular aspect of art in which is vastly appreciated and comes under such a variety of topics, backgrounds, styles and audiences. The artistry of writing spans through an ocean of A-Z, genre to genre, to abstract books. The amazing thing is, something new is being created each and every day. While you and I sit here in this very moment, no matter where you are in the world, someone is creating their very own literary masterpiece. A fascinating example of this, is J.K.Rowling, and her creation of the infamous, Harry Potter Books. An ordinary woman, sat writing her first book, with no clue that her writing would be the next global franchise, extending to movies, theme parks and merchandise.
The thing is, the significance of art and the impact that it has on our lives is often severely underplayed. Without the arts, how would we ever appreciate the beauty that lies at our fingertips, or become inspired by someone else’s creation? Theatres, libraries, galleries, all give us the ability to showcase our greatest achievements and birth the next generation of artistry.
The definition of art, and popular styles of art change as often as the tides, and it is intriguing to admire the changes from era to era, from the Tudor era, in which large scale oil paintings were the central focus in artistry, to the 21st century, in which abstract art is now favoured most notably amongst the younger generation. It would seem modern day artists, are attempting to add a new spin to art, making something that is not clearly distinguish upon simply looking at it – which forces the viewer to engage in deep thought as to the meaning behind what the art is about and the feelings it invokes. This again, alludes to the idea that art can be absolutely anything that you wish it to be. It changes form, and meaning like some kind of abstract shape.
A piece of art that has gained a particular interest in the younger generations of this era, is a piece of art named “I can’t help myself” – created by Sun Yuan and Peng Yu. Placed behind clear acrylic walls, their robot has one specific duty, to contain a viscous, deep-red liquid within a predetermined area. When the sensors detect that the fluid has strayed too far, the arm frenetically shovels it back into place, leaving smudges on the ground and splashes on the surrounding walls. The physical elements of the art itself, are fairly simple. The robot must continue to scoop the oil back into its tank in order to keep moving, else it cannot continue to work.
According to Dazed: “
It goes without saying that there are plenty of theories about what Can’t Help Myself is actually about in the comment section. “Continuously cleaning up the pieces of yourself as you endlessly fall apart,” writes one user, hinting at an underlying commentary on mental health. “Alone, while everyone watches you and uses you for entertainment.”
“No piece of art has ever emotionally affected me the way this robot arm piece has,” reads another interpretation. “It’s programmed to try to contain the hydraulic fluid that’s constantly leaking out and required to keep itself running… if too much escapes, it will die so it’s desperately trying to pull it back to continue to fight for another day.”
Such simple concepts can invoke such deep feelings within each and every one of us, with most viewers seeming to relate to this little robot in one way or another, attaching it to personal struggles in life that everyone faces. In this way, this is an example of art that can be universally understood on a deeper level, without being overly complicated.
However, abstract art has also been viewed as somewhat controversial, with the definition of art being toyed with to for the financial interests of an uninterested arrist, who potentially could lead someone into thinking there was a deeper meaning behind art that simply, had no meaning at all, in a quick fire way to earn some cash. Though this is a topic that truly could be debated for hours
Most notably, splatter art, gained the attention of many critics, failing to gain and understanding of some deeper meaning and rather simply viewing the art as it appears on the surface – splattered paint on a canvas.
Overall, the answer to the question of how art is defined, is an impossible proposition, as like many things, such a beauty, everyone experiences it differently, and this is the most truly beautiful thing about it. Someone who has a passion for reading also will have their own preferences, from genre, to characters, to writing style, and all of the interesting ways in which a book can be written. Though it can be noticed that in the most famous novels, most are written in a fantasty world, and so this may be one element in which can be cherry picked as something that most readers are drawn towards. This, however cannot account for the experiences of all and again, all eludes to the fact that the population of humans, is such a wonderfully diverse one.
And with that, what is art to you?
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Ricky Dale 
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