Monday, November 2, 2009

Art as Illusion & Aesthetics

I recently gave a presentation to my Aesthetics class. Each of us had chosen a class session to present the topic of their choice relating to art and philosophy. My presentation summarized my own personal definition of art:

Art as illusion and aesthetics. Basically, 'perception deception' and brain-candy combine forces to make cool stuff like art, music, movies, games, etc., that people enjoy because it appeals to the senses. I defended my views by saying the more a person can recognize aspects of the piece, the better - whether that's complete realism, or a gestural and eerie painting of a crow, it's up to the creator's intentions of how they want viewers to see their piece. I'm bad at summarizing it, but moving on.

It proved to erupt a great argument in class. A couple of the students were aghast that my definition basically throws out, and I quote, "..the past one-hundred years of art." Namely abstract and modern art that resembles this level of skill, mastery, and talent:


(not my image)

Anyway, I actually told the girl that I didn't want to offend her or be very harsh, so I stopped my presentation short (short? It wasn't supposed to exceed 20 minutes, but I stood there arguing for a good 45 minutes, haha). If I had continued, however, I would have told her my later Facebook status:

"...sorry, but I have to let this out... A flat blue canvas is to art, as homeopathy is to medicine. It is -not-. Pseudoscience and pseudoart: things that try to play in the realm of reason but only succeed in ruining it. So sue me, argue with me, whatever you please. It just seems duly insulting when the profession I'm aiming for can be more easily achieved by, apparently, shitting in a can. [insert image of a serious artist's creation: a can of their own poo]"

Harsh, huh? Yeah, sorry; stuff like that angers me.

Besides, in all honesty, isn't art cooler when you see this sci-fi photo-manipulation I made...



...and after that, I tell you it's all from texture photographs I took around my own campus? It's not space at all. It's pixels on a screen. ;D

Oh well. I had a great Halloween, btw: I hope you did too!

1 comment:

  1. AGREED!!! That kind of modernist crap (sometimes literally) is what deterred me from a "real" art school. I just didn't want to have to deal with it. Good on ya for sticking it to 'em =)

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