Thursday, January 29, 2009

Intentional and representational?

Art can be defined as everything humans see, touch, hear, or create. Drawings, paintings, dance, music, sculptures, architecture, and pottery are usually what most think of when art is mentioned, yet many more types of art are all around us. Reading a book or a poem can paint a picture in our minds, while snapping a picture can turn reality into art.
Art doesn’t have to be intentional to be considered art. Random objects lying on a counter top could create a unique collage, or practicing an instrument could create the perfect rhythm for a song. As our book mentions, Stonehenge in Europe was not intentionally created as art, but a solar calendar, where a person standing in the center of the complex could mark the point at which the sun rose at the summer solstice.
Art also doesn’t have to be representational. For instance, food on a plate doesn’t represent anything. Yet, it can look so good that you will wait to cut into it, stare for a few seconds to preserve the picture, and then finally start eating. An artist could be painting and spill several different colors resulting in a splatter. It doesn’t represent anything, and some would love this painting.
Weather is an art all in itself and it is not an intentional or representational form of art. Lightening can light up the sky with streaks in every which way, while the wind can stir the leaves into curious sways. When the sun rises and sets, a ray of color is plastered across the sky.
Art is everywhere and really is everything, although for some this is debatable.

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