Week 3

This week was about contemporary art and how art is presented. It even brought up a debate about what is art? To me, art can be an image or sound, created or natural. Saying that, I also have to believe it is good to be called art for example in the lecture, Paul showed us a piece of work by Gem Finer. I think it was good and very creative and a nice idea that represents nature. However the fact he got 75k to create it, and I'm guessing not much money will be generated out of it unless it's a national park (which even if it is it will take a while to make a profit on). Going back to the money point, I think 75k for that is ridiculous. We are in a recession and the money could clearly be spent on much better things than that. I still think it's a good piece but for 75k I think that’s a bit of a joke. I think the piece Paul showed us by R..Mutt is a lot better, as basic as it may be, and it will probably be worth 75k in years to come. I think the other Gem Finer piece Paul showed us of the lough was actually a lot better. People would get more out of because it is part of local history and although local people may have liked, disliked or even hated it, they did seem appreciate the piece Paul and Gem created. The idea of contemporary art is kind of a sketchy and confusing area to me, for example, someone’s life in photos could be presented as contemporary art. Then does that not mean that everyone’s life in general could be contemporary art if present in the right interesting manner?

This brings me to my last points “how is art presented?” and “what is art?” Well in my opinion the answers to these questions are down to our own opinions. Art can be presented in many ways and yes, if a work is creative, most people will agree that it is art, but that doesn't mean people will like it. It is down to personal opinion and preferences, for example in class some people liked Gem Finer's piece and others didn't. The majority of people thought it was creative but they just didn't class it as art and that’s just down to what they like and dislike. I think art is similar to taste in music either you like it, or you don't, and there is not right or wrong choice.

“In a decaying society, art, if it is truthful, must also reflect decay. And unless it wants to break faith with its social function, art must show the world as changeable. And help to change it.”
Ernst Fischer