What Is Art?

And specifically — is photography art?

I’m seeing lots of articles these days where folks decide THEY are the sole judge of what is and what is not art. To them I ask, “Are you were mad because you didn’t get picked to be a school crossing guard in fifth grade?”

Seriously — the only person who gets to decide what is — and what is not art is — YOU — the person reading this article!

The dictionary defines art like this…

“art

noun

The conscious use of the imagination in the production of objects intended to be contemplated or appreciated as beautiful, as in the arrangement of forms, sounds, or words.

Such activity in the visual or plastic arts.

Products of this activity; imaginative works considered as a group.”

I’d say that is a pretty wide definition. I’d say that by that definition, what I do is art. I’d also say that the people who think (wrongly) the tools you use or the medium you work in or the subject that you work with or the geographical area where you work or the time of day, etc. would define what is and is not art should just be quiet.

In my world, as soon as I identify a person as a member of the ART POLICE I completely, immediately, permanently and without mental reservation or hesitation, remove them from my life. As in COMPLETELY remove them from my life. Period. End of discussion. They are soul suckers and I will not have my soul sucked! I have nothing to do with the self-appointed art police and if possible, I won’t even walk on the same street as they do. There’s no point in arguing with them. All that does is put your soul in danger. So don’t even try.

People who have nothing better to do than tell YOU whether or not what YOU do qualifies as art are almost certainly — not great artists. So this short article has only one purpose. That is …. to call out those fools who think they are the art police and tell them to shove off.

If you think something is art — it’s art. No matter what tool or medium or message is involved. If you believe it is art — it’s art. Don’t let anyone tell you differently. Stand up for yourself and if you run into the art police, 86 them from your life — no matter who they are.

Remember, toys (and art) are joy.