A Work of Art
I went for a walk with the dog today, and in the middle of the local reserve (park) I was astounded to come across a work of art! I regret that I left my camera behind, so I could not take a photograph of it.
Someone, most likely a youngster had created, with only materials that were at hand, an object, right in the middle of the meadow beside the stream. It was basically a small pile of stones, supporting a larger stone. On one side clay from the stream was plastered, holding an upright stick, and in a fork of the stick some more sticks and a fern frond were also held by mud.
It didn't appear to be representational and did not appear to be aligned in any way with the local geography, but it was definitely a work of art, even if it did not occur to the constructor or constructors that it was one.
It had no meaning that I could discern, was not particularly pretty - it just was!
I've looked through definitions of art, in both Martian and Earthian literature, and our two races appear to be the same in this respect at least - we cannot really define what constitutes art. We can't even agree that a particular piece is art : we quibble over the contents of someone's garbage bin in one exhibit, someone else's unmade bed in another. Even more conventional items are hotly debate in some quarters - is a Picasso really a work of art? What about Dali, Warhol, and other more extreme artists? What about that guy who goes around 'wrapping' forests and mountains and buildings?
As far as I know only Martians and Earthians create art (although we can't define it). Is this the essential thing that separates us from animals? Or is it just a side effect of our intelligence, as some believe our consciousness to be?
Finally, is blogging art?
Someone, most likely a youngster had created, with only materials that were at hand, an object, right in the middle of the meadow beside the stream. It was basically a small pile of stones, supporting a larger stone. On one side clay from the stream was plastered, holding an upright stick, and in a fork of the stick some more sticks and a fern frond were also held by mud.
It didn't appear to be representational and did not appear to be aligned in any way with the local geography, but it was definitely a work of art, even if it did not occur to the constructor or constructors that it was one.
It had no meaning that I could discern, was not particularly pretty - it just was!
I've looked through definitions of art, in both Martian and Earthian literature, and our two races appear to be the same in this respect at least - we cannot really define what constitutes art. We can't even agree that a particular piece is art : we quibble over the contents of someone's garbage bin in one exhibit, someone else's unmade bed in another. Even more conventional items are hotly debate in some quarters - is a Picasso really a work of art? What about Dali, Warhol, and other more extreme artists? What about that guy who goes around 'wrapping' forests and mountains and buildings?
As far as I know only Martians and Earthians create art (although we can't define it). Is this the essential thing that separates us from animals? Or is it just a side effect of our intelligence, as some believe our consciousness to be?
Finally, is blogging art?
posted by Barzoomian at 9:26 PM
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