An Introduction

Art: the process or product of deliberately arranging elements in a way that appeals to the senses or emotions.

I like the way Wikipedia and I have joined forces to bring up a dilemma with this definition:

In Modernism, this definition will be challenged, questioned, and disputed. At the simplest level, a way to determine whether the impact of the object on the senses meets the criteria to be considered art, is whether it is perceived to be attractive or repulsive. But this is subject to experience and anything not attractive to an individual wouldn't be art but could be beautiful to another.

However, "good" art is not always or even regularly aesthetically appealing to a majority of viewers. In other words, an artist's prime motivation need not be the pursuit of the aesthetic. Also, art often depicts terrible images made for social, moral, or thought-provoking reasons.

Francisco Goya, The Third of May, 1808, 1814

For example, Francisco Goya's painting depicting the Spanish shootings of 3rd of May 1808, is a graphic depiction of a firing squad executing several pleading civilians. Yet at the same time, the horrific imagery demonstrates Goya's artistic ability in composition and execution as a painter and political activist. Thus, the debate continues as to what mode of aesthetic satisfaction, if any, is required to define 'art'.

This is the question that I seek to answer in this blog. To define art (or to stop the definition). I will answer it in writing, examples, and in art pieces that question what art is.

I hope this works.