What is Art and Why Do We Make Art

Art is the creative ability and skill to make something tangible from one’s imagination. To make something from nothing is Art. Defining “What is Art” maybe as difficult as defining what is the color white. White comes in many shades but we still call them white. Sometimes we name different shades of white the same way we label different styles of ART. Art comes in many forms, like figurative paintings, abstracts, sculptures, poetry, installations, etc., but we still label them as Art.

Mother and Child, Rick Santiago, 2006
Mother and Child, Rick Santiago – 2006

Art Has Many Meanings, here are a few:

re:  Ibsen said, “There must be a troll in what I write.”  Art, today, encompasses the dream postponed into anything-goes.  Justified in letting the artist descend into mediocrity, spiraling around an ego put upon a pedestal.  As if, all that a person does is art.  And it is.  But I have no time for it.  I agree with Harold Bloom in a recent interview.  He asked, would you want just anyone to do surgery on you?  Of course not.  You want someone to know what they are doing before they cut into you.  Yet today we look at the arts as if everything is the fine craftsmanship of a great artist, and much of it isn’t.  Until you become yourself what benefit can you be to others?  Mediocrity appeals to the mass, and it appeals to the mass ego.  And though it may be art, it is not the exceptional dream, enchanting the child, like a kiss walking home to my knowledge, in an unformulated illustration which wakes me up.  Michael Carrico

*Art is when Vision, Creativity and Talent find each other in the Dark

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Great Movie about the start of American Abstract Expressionism

Painters Painting Photo by TUBI
Painters Painting

Painters Painting by Emile de Antonio

Likely the best most informative film on the birth of American Abstract Expressionism. Artists appearing in the film are Willem de Kooning, Jasper Johns, Andy Warhol, Robert Rauschenberg, Helen Frankenthaler, Frank Stella, Barnett Newman, Hans Hofmann, Jules Olitski, Philip Pavia, Larry Poons, Robert Motherwell and Kenneth Noland.

It covers the American art movement beginning at post WWII through the 1960’s with Andy Warhol. The entire film was superb, you had the opportunity to visit the artist’ work space and listen to their thoughts on art and how they came upon their individual styles.

No actors, no stand-in, and it’s not a biography. The actual artist is who you watched and heard speak. Each artist interviewed were captivating but the most interesting segments included Barnett Newman and Robert Motherwell. I later found out Barnett Newman studied Philosophy at City College of New York while Robert Motherwell studied Philosophy at Stanford University. When you listen to both speak in contemplative, rational and stoic terms, it all makes sense.

It was fascinating to learn the what, the how, and the why of their work/life. For Abstract Artists, we can thank that entire generation of artists that opened the door. We can thank them for making the general public aware that art is more than a misty morning bridge or bright red apple or exquisite portrait painting. It’s the best film I’ve seen and the only other one I really like, The Mystery of Picasso, but that’s for another post.

As of this writing I cannot find any free streaming, but this is a good trailer, it’s the only trailer/excerpt I found. I first watched the movie years ago on Prime free and decided to buy it and I watch it over again when I’m out of fresh ideas and inspiration.

**Side Note – Since watching he movie, I have tracked Frank Stella’s work through the years and amazed how his work morphed from extreme minimalism to the opposite end, where he now describes himself a maximalist. Frank Stella through the years