Reflection #1: What is Art?

What is Art? To me, I agree with the video that we watched. Art is an expression of creativity and imagination. I have always had an open mind when I have thought about art. Art does not have to be createdin order to be considered art. I think that a chain link fence, in an artistic setting, or thousands of fabric flags floating in the breeze, or a bronze cat are as much art as Mona Lisa. I agree with what the video said at the very end, when it was asking whether we should even DRAW a line. Art is so broad, and has so many facets, that it is IMPOSSIBLE to draw a line on what is and is not art.
Reference #1: http://www.arthistory.sbc.edu/artartists/artartists.html
This website brought out the fact that art is not the same today as it was 1,000 years ago. The things that we think of as art, such as pottery, sculpture, etc. were not thought of like that when the object was created. There is also a difference between art and an artist. For many years, an artist was thought to be a craftsman. It was not until the 15th and 16th centuries that an artist was thought to be as important as a poet.
Reference #2:
http://www.philosophytalk.org/pastShows/Art.html
This website talks about the thread that ties art together, which is a similar line of thinking to our textbook, where it was talking about how all female foxes are called, "vixens." An interesting point that this website makes is that, "to be an art object, that object must differ interestingly from others of its kind." This is pretty accurate, in my opinion. In our class discussion, we were talking about how the urinal sculpture is different than urinals hanging in a bathroom. The urinal in a museum is different than the one hanging in a restroom because of how it is displayed. The website argues that all art is beauty, although it may not be pretty.
Reference #3:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oqf6Q5TrcSo&feature=related
This video says that what matters about art is your intention. If you set out to create something, then it is art, and it is up to someone else to determine if they like it or not. Another view on art is that about getting to the audience, and communicating something. This video proves that there are lots of mediums for art- it does not have to be a sculpture, or a painting, art can be written words, dance, theater, technology, and so many other things!