ART?

What is the colour of Art?

What we define, as "Art" is something that "Last dog standing" has been debating on her site.

When I take a look around me, at the poorly executed pieces of Civic "Art" (Lets not forget these pieces are here to uplift our feeling of well being) I have to endure, I find myself wondering why did you ever get the budget for that....

If you start from the standpoint that "All art is everything that is not practical." You fall in to the trap of design; some things produced for the mass market as "practical things " are actually "Art "
For example; anything produced in the Bauhaus in thirties Germany recurs again & again in today’s world... IKEA have built an industry on it. If only the Nazis could have applied their efforts to the design of Scandic sofa's called "Skowanker" instead of building the original weapons of mass destruction. Then you really would want an oven built in Germany.
However it is not also great design it is “ART”

You could argue that a Mini Cooper is "Art" however to my mind it is great design, as is, anything produced by Apple, I feel that early Apple iMacs will be collected in the future as wonderful antiques. So.... What is Art ?

Try this... You just bought yourself a wonderful new Damion Hurst piece, lets say the Shark split in half suspended in a glass case filled with embalming fluid. You have worked out how you will display this within your home ( Maybe all around the dining table ) isnt that sending you a message as top of the food chain? Or is it not placing you in the role of a God able to walk around & through this thing? It would not be such a far step on viewing the piece to wonder at the perfection of creation....

Next up is the idea that you must suffer for your creativity...an easy example is Van Gough who never sold a picture in his lifetime, yet to quote Del Amitri " Business men snap up Van Goughs for the price of a hospital wing" How do we apply a value to piece of work? In the past people would apply intrinsic value to things by saying " It is a peice of the cross.. " or that it was " Touched by Christ " If a work was touched by the artist, does that make it more valuable ? Andy Wharol produced "Art" just by been present. Other people produced original work in his "Style ".

What is the value of Art ?

Many would say that if they have accumulated enough wealth they should squander it on art, these people to quote Oscar Wilde " know the price of everything & the value of nothing"

I write through my chosen medium ......music. I do not care who listens to it or who does not, or if you like it.
For me it is the way I live my life. You can be assured that if you ever come to dinner at my house, I will not subject you to my latest piece. In fact we will not talk about any kind of music unless you ask me a question.
I like to think that this is the medium through which every artist works. The braggard is always the one you are suspicious of. In fact if you were at my table for dinner, I would be more interested in talking to you about what you do rather than the stuff that I do everyday...

Listening to:

The stupid outpourings of an ass
Kate Rusby's " You belong to me "
Damien Rice
Bruce Sringsteens "Human touch