Humanity has created many different fields such as art, philosophy and science as it has tried to make sense of and explain the world in which it has lived since the day it existed. The subject of philosophy and science is easy because these are already cumulative fields, but when it comes to art, things get a little complicated. Because the answer to the question of what art is is so subjective that people may never come to a common decision.
Of course, when we approach the subject academically, there is a well-defined answer to the question of what art is, but when you ask this question to an artist, there are an infinite number of answers you will get. Of course, this sentence raises another question: Who is an artist? Of course, in this article, unfortunately, we will not be able to answer every question you are looking for, but we will take a look at how art emerged and try to deepen the question of what art is.
Let’s start with a brief definition; What is art?
Art is the expression of one’s creative power. In the general definition, it is stated that the purpose of the visual or auditory action that occurs with this export is to be liked. It is also said that the purpose of making art is to mobilize the masses, reflect emotions, and open the way for cultural development. When we look at it from this perspective, art has become such an abstract concept that it cannot be clearly defined anymore.
So who is called an artist?
An artist is a person who carries out creative expression. Being an artist can be an innate talent or can be learned through training. Even though there are some accepted characteristics of being an artist, the concept of artist, just like art, is now moving away from clear definitions. In other words, sometimes two people called artists may not have a single thing in common other than producing art.
There are some types of art that everyone agrees on:
Even though we can no longer give a definitive answer to the question of what art is, there are some types of art that were founded by Friedrich Hegel and that have subsequently been diversified by many people and reached a common consensus. These;
- architecture
- Statue
- Picture
- Music
- Literature
- performing arts
- Cinema
Cinema was added to these genres later, but it has gained common acceptance. Media art, comics, video games, multimedia, and performing arts are also included in this list by some, although they are not considered common. The reason why these do not receive common acceptance is that they are actually interpreted as an extension of the basic types.
The emergence of art may be as old as human history:
It is quite difficult to answer the question of how art emerged, as well as the answer to the question of what art is. Because maybe our primitive ancestors were reciting very beautiful poetry, but we never heard of it. For this reason, the focus is on painting as the first art in history, and the first examples of it date back to 73 thousand years ago.
It is possible to call the 73 thousand-year-old red lines found in a cave in South Africa as the first art. Some Neanderthal cave paintings dating back to 64 thousand years ago were found in Spain. There are some images in the Chauvet cave in France that are 40 thousand years old. So are these art?
If you believe that a red line drawn on a cave wall is art, the oldest art appeared 73 thousand years ago. But if you think art should be a narrative, the first art is an image of three pigs, painted deep in a limestone cave on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi and dated to about 46 thousand years ago.
These paintings, discovered by Adam Brumm from Griffith University, are the oldest known figurative works of art in history. In the work, it is clearly seen that two pigs are fighting and one is watching them. So, we have a real sense of storytelling before us, but as we said, depending on what art is, this history can go back much further.
The concept of art began to be discussed especially in the 20th century:
People have made art in some form throughout history. Both those who produce this art and philosophers have always thought and discussed the question of what art is. However, most of the time, since this was discussed by a certain group of people, certain answers could be given. In the 20th century, things got even more complicated as art became available to the public.
In 1917, Marcel Duchamp, a Dadaist artist, left a urinal he named Fountain in a public exhibition in New York and left. This movement was actually a kind of protest because it gave the message that the artist should decide what is art and what is not, not the galleries that will exhibit it.
A similar example took place in Art Basel Miami in 2019. Maurizio Cattelan, an Italian artist, came to the ongoing exhibition and stuck a banana to the wall with a piece of tape. This work of art called Comedian was sold for 120 thousand dollars. Moreover, another artist came and ate this banana during the exhibition.
Let’s summarize the topic a bit; What is art, who is called an artist?
Art, in its simplest definition, is a way of expressing oneself, and the person who does this is an artist. However, for hundreds of years, the field of art has always been held captive in the hands of some wealthy groups, and what is art and what is not art has been determined according to the decisions made by people who do not actually understand art at all.
Even in the relatively modern period, there were galleries that dominated the art world, and the work they exhibited was considered a successful work of art. We can give the same example in all types of art that come to mind, such as literature, theater, sculpture. Since this monopolization was broken especially in the 20th century, art discussions actually came down to the public.
The biggest reason why art is becoming more and more liberal is the development of technology. No longer does anyone have to chase after other people to exhibit the work of art they produce. Anyone can share the product they create on their social media account as they wish, and with a little effort, they can make it visible to millions of people.
OK, but can artificial intelligence be an artist?
This is perhaps the most fundamental issue we need to discuss today. Because artificial intelligence tools, whose fully developed versions we have not yet met, are now painting, composing songs, and writing texts. You know, art was an expression produced by the artist? In this case, is the artificial intelligence an artist? It can be solved legally, but ethically it is an issue that we will perhaps discuss for many years to come.
We answered frequently asked questions such as what is art, which has been with us since the beginning of humanity, how did it emerge, and who is called an artist? You can share your thoughts on the subject in the comments.
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