Michael Dickman on thu 13 sep 01
Tragedy, helplessness. Response is philosophy to avoid going crazy. (in my
case, some might say, possibly too late.) Hope the following is of interest.
What is art? Pottery art? Wristwatch? Chimpanzee scribblings art?
Some say "I'm just a potter" or "just a craftsperson" and not an artist.
Perhaps these people are genuinely modest. Maybe this is a reaction to the
perception of 'Artist' such as Picasso or Dali or others who might be seen as
overblown egotists (although, certainly, great Artists.) Maybe this is a
reaction to the view that an artist is somehow not a productive member of
society. I say nonsense, you are an artist if you create something beautiful
intentionally (I won't define beauty here). But not only then are you an
artist; you are also an artist if you create something that other people
think is art.
There are then two categories of art. The first is if the work was intended
to be art (primary art). This depends solely on the creator of the work. Are
chimp scribblings art in this sense? We can know only if the chimp tells us
its intention. To the current date, so far as I am aware, no chimp has
claimed to have purposely produced art. The human who gives the chimp paint,
brush and paper, on the other hand, may indeed have had the intention of
producing art, so in this case the human was an artist through the medium of
the chimp.
The second category includes work that other people find beautiful (secondary
art). This may include things the creator did not intend as art and certainly
includes chimp scribblings if someone finds them beautiful. Might also
include a nice mug made by a 'craftsperson'. (Not to equate craftspeople with
chimps here although some might say in my particular case it would be
justified.)
Most things we think of as Art fit both categories: the work was intended as
art and other people find it beautiful in some sense. So please, create works
in clay that you intend to be beautiful; hope that others find beauty in them
too; you are an artist.
- Michael H. Dickman
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