Sweet Concoctions: What is Art?

Ok, so as my first college semester comes to a close here in December my mind goes back to those very first weeks of class where in my English class my professor asked me to write an in class response to this question “What is Art?” All I remember is me sitting in my desk confused as to what to say, trying to carefully formulate a complicated yet sophisticated answer for my first submission of any writing in my college career. I sat attempting to come with the answer I thought would be impressive and valid from her perspective instead of formulating my own unique untainted response. So here is my best and most honest attempt to explain what my answer should have been that morning with that assignment.

What is Art? A phrase so generic it’s almost confusing has rung vivid in my mind since one moment in ninth grade. My awkward ninth grade English teacher for the first time all year managed to get one murmur out of our class for the first time that year when he broke our loud discussions as we walked in the room with a deliberate throw of a chair. We all stared, I remember thinking “Wow this guy is literally insane.” He stood in front of the class asking “is this art?”, “do you think this is art?”

At the time just beginning my “own” life as a teenager ready to take on the world I didn’t quite know how to respond. Throughout school since kindergarten and elementary school and middle school we were always given a black and white answer. We always had a right and wrong answer and we always knew when we didn’t quite understand a topic. At this moment my mind was blank.

Art? What is it? Well it’s art. Art is something with no limits no boundaries per say unless someone’s impressions or views are applied to it. Art is based on perspective which makes sense because that is what art thrives off of. This very moment as I write this I realize that the question ““What is Art?” doesn’t even have a grey answer. If it isn’t black white or grey what is it? I guess it’s whatever color you choose to make it right?

Art can be found everywhere it just depends on what angle (mentally and physically) you chose to view the world at. Art is what you make of it. Plain and simple, and I guess sometimes feeling like there isn’t quite the clearest answer needs to be okay. When I wrote “ Art is something that evokes emotion.” In my reflection in class that day in September I never thought that maybe just maybe art could be something that sets of a lack of emotion. I never thought to look from a new perspective. Art has an infinite number of possible perspectives, to understand “art” you just have to find whatever perspective exists in your mind frame. Maybe you haven’t even found it yet. But all I know for now is the term “Art” is what we make of it. “Art” is one of the most diverse, open ended words we have in the English language.

Which one of these is art to you?