What is Art? Part 2

In the 10 days since my adventure began, very little has changed for me in my interpretation of what is and what it can be. It can be difficult for less than two weeks to deeply change my perspective on art when it has been such an integral part of my life for such a long time. However, I would be naive to say that none of my opinions have changed at all. 

Before this week, I had very little interest in contemporary art. Much of the contemporary art that I had come into contact with were similar works to Fountain by Marcel Duchamp or The Treachery of Images by René Magritte both of which feature everyday objects that are only slightly modified to make a statement. While the Magritte art is actually a painting so it does require an additional level of artistic skill, I still have a difficult time finding value in this style of art using everyday objects. While I don't deny that it is art, I still have a difficult time finding artistic value in it. 

Having now gone to the Museum of Contemporary Art, I still don't see much value in that specific style of work, but I see now that there are far more types of contemporary art. I specifically think that it's very important that's so many artists are taking on issues such as environmentalism. During the Renaissance, I don't think many artists would have had the gall to create art that potentially is political and potentially wouldn't sell extremely well. As I said in my first what is art post, art has the power to create change within our society so I think that it is so amazing to see artists taking that power within their own hands to create art that could potentially influence change beyond the art world. Activism is an extremely important lesson for any person to learn and art is just one more venue in which activist can take place.

For what art can be I still stand behind the idea that art can be anything. Even though I wouldn't normally think of a pair of socks as art I still can see the merit to them being in an art gallery if an artist sees an artistic reason behind it. In the past week, I have seen so many different kinds of art from kitsch art like I saw it in the Carrie Secrist Gallery all the way to Renaissance paintings in the Art Institute and even the vases of Japanese history. Anything that our society attributes artistic value to can and should be seen as art. Specifically when it has cultural importance, so I think that anything that a culture views as a part of its art should be celebrated to some extent.

As I said before this week and a half has only been a drop in a bucket full of art that I have seen in my life. The one thing about this class has done for me has been to introduce me to several more places in the cities that are widely available to view. Without this class, I would have never known that public has free access to art galleries or university art museums. In the future I will use these resources to see more art than I would've otherwise. I have also developed a deeper appreciation for murals and public art having spent 10 days looking for it everywhere. Having noticed it more now I see that public art makes the city more alive and vibrant than without it. 

Though I had previously seen a lot of art, I really enjoyed this week as an opportunity to see the city and learn more about many different places throughout the city and that is a lesson that I will take with me for as long as I live near Chicago.