Transcript A - What is Art

Stone Field
by Carl Andre
Stone Field
by Carl Andre
Andre was given $97,000
from the National
Endowment of the Arts to
create this project in
Hartford, Connecticut.
Many Hartford residents saw this as a
waste of money and a waste of space.
“Rocks in a park is not ‘art’.”
Relativism
Does each person get to decide for
herself or himself what is “art”?
Does each person get to decide for
himself or herself what is good “art”?
IF ANYONE CAN DECIDE THAT
SOMETHING IS “ART” OR NOT “ART”
THEN IT FOLLOWS THAT IT IS ALSO UP
TO A PERSONAL OPINION AS TO WHAT IS
GOOD “ART”
What Makes “Art” Good?
A work of art is only good if it gives
pleasure to the viewer.
ART IS ONLY ART IF IT MAKES YOU
FEEL GOOD.
What Makes “Art” Good?
A work of art is only good if it creates
a better viewer.
Food Analogy: People often believe
that food is good because it gives them
pleasure…food is good because it gives
them nutrition and life not pleasure
ART IS ONLY ART IF IT MAKES YOU A
BETTER PERSON.
Art gives you a better understanding of
the world and so helps you to be a more
well-rounded person
What Makes “Art” Good?
A work of art is only good if it creates
a positive response within the viewer.
“It is very beautiful, but of course
no one likes it.”
“A work of art is good if the work evokes
a positive response that is recognized as
arising from features in the object
traditionally considered worthy of
attention and reflection.”