# data[].attributes.body
Good Morning everyone,
We should start talking about Defining art.
The questions were: How can we define art ? What are its essential characteristics? How can we judge if art is good or bad? How has the definition of art changed over time or place ? Who decides if art has value or not? What is the purpose of art? Must art have a deep meaning to be valuable ? Why is art often not valued during the time in which it is created? So lets start with this topic and when someone wants to change, we should go to This artist

# data[].attributes.body
The first question we have to ask ourselves is how we can define art, so that we can go further based on that definition.

We all know that art is very subjective and an abstract concept. I will personally use the first definition given by the Oxford dictionary art : ‘the use of the imagination to express ideas or feelings, particularly in painting, drawing or sculpture’.

Personally, I think almost every single existing art piece fits this definition, and would allow us to say whether something new is art or not
What would your definition of art be and why ?

# data[].attributes.body
First of all, I’d like to start by the question of defining art. Art has evolved since the beginning of mankind. Cavemen  started painting on their caves millions of years ago because it was important to their existence. They also used it to document hunting expeditions. Today, we dont paint for the same reasons and I think that what the writer Leo Tolstoy writes is very true. « If only the spectators or auditors are infected by the feelings which the author has felt, it is art. » Art indeed needs to throw out emotions to the spectators, we need to feel something strong regarding the topic of the painting. For example, I attached one of Claude Monet’s painting and when I see it, I feel a strong peaceful emotion that Monet’s must’ve felt when painting it. That is why I know, it is art. The emotions felt viewing the painting.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Stormy Sea in Étretat - Wikipedia
1200 × 967 - 395k - jpg
en.wikipedia.org

La mer de Pourville (1882) | Monet, Peintre monet, Peinture à l'huile
1280 × 775 - 262k - jpg
pinterest.de

L'océan, la mer, les coquillages ... l'appel du large ! en 2020 ...
200 × 161 - 10k - jpg
pinterest.co.uk

474 × 346 - 49k - jpg
pinterest.co.uk

W 1183 - Claude Monet 1888: La mer à Antibes | Claude monet ...
640 × 516 - 131k - jpg
pinterest.com

CLAUDE MONET PEINTRE NORMAND EN PAYS DE CAUX - Cany Immobilier
450 × 336 - 58k - jpg
uk.canyimmobilier.com

The Sea at Les Saintes-Maries- de- la- Mer, 1888, Vincent van Gogh ...
503 × 390 - 47k - jpg
pinterest.com

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
monet peinture de la mer - Google Search

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Stormy Sea in Étretat - Wikipedia1200 × 967 - 395k - jpgen.wikipedia.org La mer de Pourville (1882) | Monet, Peintre monet, Peinture à l'huile1280 × 775 - 262k - jpgpinterest.de L'océan, la mer, les coquillages ... l'appel du large !

# data[].attributes.body
On the topic of defining art, I would also agree with Leo Tolstoy when he says that something is art when the public feels the same emotions that the author felt. Even though I agree with his claim, I also believe there is something else that can define whether something is art or not. That would be the technical complexity of the piece. In class, for example, we saw a video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5E8f64yj1Jk&t=90s ) that explained and described one of Rembrandt’s most famous paintings: “The Night Watch.” In the video we explored the different symbols, like the shadow of the captain’s hand holding the symbol of the city, symbolizing his role of protector of the city, or the men in front being painted very carefully and in rich details while the men in the back are painted in a fuzzier manner, thus creating optic depth. When you see this painting, you do not only feel the mood and emotions of the painting, you are also in awe of the detail and the complexity of it. When you think of the painting you do not say it is art only because it gives an impression on you, you also say it is art because it is very skillfully done. And this also applies to a lot of different paintings.

To answer one of Tom’s previous questions to me, fractals, in my belief could be considered as art depending on how they are done.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Le Rêve ( Picasso) - Wikipedia 269 × 370 - 27k - jpg en.wikipedia.org

# data[].attributes.body
Defining art is a very difficult thing and over the years the definition of art and artist have changed a fair amount. I wanted to touch on the question: How can we judge if art is good or bad? To introduce my opinion I was a quote from Calvin and Hobbes where Calvin says: "As my artist’s statement explains, my work is utterly incomprehensible and is therefore full of deep significance”. I find this quote interesting because it would imply that the meaning is only understood by the artist (since it is "utterly incomprehensible" to the rest). It is thus impossible to judge art unless it is our own since we cannot fully understand the significance behind a piece of art. "Don't judge a book by it's cover" is a common saying and I think it is also applicable in this discussion. We cannot simply judge art by the visual aspect (the cover) of it since most pieces have more depth.

# data[].attributes.body
Since Mrs. Dutro encouraged us to start all the topics and then on Friday, we would use the time to comment and to respond to all of our sayings, I willl write the questions for this topic. Don’t hesitate writing your point of view !
How does one become an artist ? What are the most formative life events for an artist? Can one become an artist without having experienced great suffering or struggles in life? Why or why not? Can anyone become an artist ? To what extent is artistic talent a result of innate abilities ? To what extent is it due to training ? Can you become a truly talented artist without training ?

# data[].attributes.body
What role does art play in society? Should schools encourage their students to create art ? Does it have a place in the curriculum just as math and history, for example ? Who should fund the arts in a society ? Do we have an obligation to support the arts and artists ? Do all people deserve access to the arts? Is art always reflection of the society in which it was created?

# data[].attributes.body
Becoming an artist is a long process that many times starts during the childhood. For example, in the book Vincent and Theo, the Van Gogh brothers, the author Deborah Heligman writes and makes us understand that Vincent was encouraged to make art. Van Gogh's uncle was a partner in Goupil and Company, art dealers. All this to say that many of the greatest artists became artists thanks to the fact they were involved in it from their childhood. They always knew what art was, saw others do it and that participâtes in the formation of becoming an artist.

# data[].attributes.body
I personally believe anyone can be an artist since, to me all you need to be an artist is to make art. Picasso once said "Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up." I do believe this to be true. All kids have picked up a pencil and drawn something, even if it was just a scribble. You don't have to be good at art in the beginning. Now, to *stay* an artist into adulthood, you have to continue making art and practicing. This is what, in my opinion, makes a good artist. Practice makes perfect. I also do not think you need any trauma or suffering to be an artist. People might say it adds emotional depth but i believe everyone goes through a fair bit in their life anyways and I think that is enough for someone to be able to put their emotions in a piece of art.

# data[].attributes.body
In my opinion, becoming an artist does not necessitate skill nor training in some cases, and I know that’s a pretty controversial opinion. I’m gonna support my idea with science facts. The brain is an incredibly complex organ that we still do not understand entirely how it works. What we do know, is that it controls everything we feel think or create. it’s responsible for the art we create too. There is even a "zone" that is thought to be more for creative stuff (right side of the brain). That could mean everybody on Earth could be an artist, they just need to "wake up" a dormant skill. And those things happen. There is a syndrome, the "acquired savant syndrome", where an apparent dormant skill suddenly emerges after a serious injury or brain damage [source: Video]. This leads me to think that artistic skill is primarily based on genetics, but the science isn’t advanced enough to prove it, although a correlation has been found between genes and knowledge with birds and "songs".

So, to recap, I believe that everybody can be an artist and that it is not entirely based on skill because of genetics and the way brains work.

# data[].attributes.body
Anyone can become an artist, you don’t have to be an enormous genius to be one. Let’s take a look at Mauricio Cattelan. This man took a banana, some tape, taped the banana to the wall, it sold for 150k dollars and is considered by almost all a great piece of art. It did not take some great imagination and skill to do it. It one set’s his mind to becoming an artist, this person can become one. I although have to say that all great artists such as Monnet, Rembrandt and Van Gogh practiced and practiced and failed and failed before becoming the greatest artists of human history. That is a reason why becoming an artist does take some practice, while younger ou even in the beginning of teen ages. One can become an artist with having experienced great suffering but this suffering forms the soul of the artist, helps them forge a strong character, willing to go « into hell » to paint great things. Let’s take a look at Vincent Van Gogh (I’m sorry folks, I know him very well now that I read his book), he endured family deaths, extreme poverty, heart breaks, big fights with good friends and his best one:his brother, he went to psychiatric hospital, tried to kill himself many times and each and every time, he was back on foot and these hardships he endured mentally helped him to become one of the greatest artists in human history.

# data[].attributes.body
How does art impact society? Can it have an influence on people's ways of behaving, thinking? How should it make you feel about yourself and whatever it can be denouncing?

# data[].attributes.body
In my belief, anyone can become an artist. In the end all you need to do is dedicate yourself to the work you are doing and train on a daily basis your different skills. But, to become a great artist, you need to have had an interesting life. When reading the different biographies, we found that almost all of them have had a hard and difficult life.  For example, before becoming a singer, Jay-Z had become addicted to drugs, saw his father leave him and his mom and generally had a hard life, struggling at first to survive in a harsh environment. Another example would be the world-renowned Robin Williams. Throughout his childhood he moved a lot from one place to another and thus always ended up alone. We could also talk about Vincent Van Gogh. In his biography we discover that he had depression issues as well as over psychological issues. What I believe is that these hard lives were the basis of them being different which made them stand out from the masses by making them interesting through the stories they had lived and through the different ways of thinking they developed.

# data[].attributes.body
I would like to answer to the question « Can it have an influence on people’s ways of behaving, thinking? » and I would’ve liked setting proof on videos we saw in class but I can’t remember the name. We saw this man, in a room, all by himself with a bag of plastic. He was hitting it, getting mad at it, pushing on the ground and the public really understood what he was doing. He was sensibilizing us to the use of plastic. He was showing us and making us understand that plastic kills more than what we thing and that we should limit the consumption of it. This is the image of how art can have an impact on the society and how it can push to act and influence us on ways of behaving or acting. These types of pieces of art can actually push people to do something, it wakes us the society and makes them understand the risks of one thing, in this case plastic. Art today can easily influence us on behaving in a different manner.

# data[].attributes.body
I wish to answer the question “Is art always a reflection of the society in which it was created.” What I think is that it is indeed the case. When we look at art, we can determine a period from where it comes from due to the style it uses. For example, take these three paintings. The first one is from the baroque which was during the great monarchies of the 16th-17th century where what you wanted to do was to be extravagant and show your wealth and riches. The second one is a painting made by Monet. He was from the 19th century which was a period where they were still rejecting the old monarchies and the “ancient régime.” In the paintings it is translated by the birth of a new are style which rejects all the great techniques installed by the artist of the old regime. And finally, the last one is a art piece made by Banksy. In our times we have a general comeback to the “street,” searching for authenticity in this age of ever-present technology. What I gather from all of this is that throughout the different times there have been different styles, and that these different styles are a reflection of the society of these times. This why I believe that art is indeed always a reflection of the society in which it was created.
1rst painting https://ezine.codart.nl/ul/cms/ezine/articles/1/8/3/183/183/gallery/2.jpg
2nd painting
https://www.google.com/search?q=monet&tbm=isch&source=iu&ictx=1&fir=CTMmDFjVrCnawM%253A%252CV1YXPNmQE9yLJM%252C_&vet=1&usg=AI4_-kSJxm22TGMSBMbPQt5lHhYKBbm-sg&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwi51aa0mbroAhWI16QKHUzEB6UQ_h0wG3oECAgQCw#imgrc=qsjKLSwrxMCJDM
3rd painting
https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/660/cpsprodpb/330D/production/_110896031_mediaitem110896029.jpg

# data[].attributes.body
Art for sure has a place in society, but does it have a place in schools? In our school (I don't know for the rest of the world), we had art classes where we drew and painted stuff based on a certain theme. I believe that art should be studied a bit in schools, but not too long as to not bore the students and make them fed up with the subject. Art does also encourage creativity, which can get really important for our future lives. To what extent should we then teach children about art? In other words, at which point is everything balanced, as all things should be?

# data[].attributes.body
I feel like defining art is very easy, as for me "art" can be any action that triggers emotions to a human being. on the other hand, judging the worth of art is extremely difficult. How do you judge if one person's art is better? Why are Van Gogh's works worth millions today, but were worth nothing at his time?
For me, judging art is extremely subjective, and can not be done by one single person

# data[].attributes.body
I'd like to answer the question: should art be taught in schools. My answer is absolutely yes. Being an artist is as good of a career choice as any therefore schools should offer the option to develop that skill (since it can help later in life). Schools should encourage creativity and artistic expression among students. According to www.bemorewithless.com, creative people and people with higher IQ's tend to have a decreased mortality risk, creative people also overcome problems sooner and develop a sense of self-confidence and self value. Knowing this, it would be awful to not teach creativity and visual arts in schools. Art can help build a personality, its an outlet for emotions and can even be used as therapy. Therefore I believe that it is very important for arts to have its place in the curriculum just like any other subject. Being creative is a valuable virtue and every child should have the chance to learn it.