Art

["David Saitch" <david@saitch.net>]

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Intentionality must play the major role in what makes something art, rather
than what it means in contrast with something else, although subjectivity
plays a serious role.

Let me give you an example.

Many years ago I went to an exhibition at the Hayward Gallery of the works of
Mark Rothko. It was an incredibly moving and exciting experience and I came
away with some books and prints.  

I showed them to some work colleagues, who piled in with some very banal "Call
that art? My five year old could do better than that..." type criticism. Much
to my surprise, it turned into a heated argument that led to some lingering
ill feeling. The people denying the artistic nature of Rothko's works were
more angry about my claim of artistry for them, than I was at their denial.

Comparisons were used. How could I claim the word art for what were basically
squares of colour daubed on a canvas in comparison with the claimed artistic
grandeur of, say, Constable.

Fast forward to a couple of years ago and a visit to the house of one of
thoose who decryed Rothko for dinner. What should be on the wall around the
table, but a series of framed Rothko prints.

I could not resist asking why he'd changed his opinion of Rothko. I was
confronted with the puzzled question "Who?" and told that the pictures had
just been bought as a bulk purchase from IKEA. 

In his eyes, then, Rothko's works had moved from being meaningless daubs to
fashionable interior design statements. To me, they were, and are, still
moving works of art.

So what made the works of Rothko art, rather than just something that looks
nice on the wall? 

http://www.nga.gov/feature/rothko/rothkosplash.html

A large part of what makes a piece art, is the intention of the artist,
though, as in the case of Rothko, it is not the job of the artist to tell you
what the intentions are. The pieces seem intended to make direct connection
with the emotions of the viewers and certainly succeed in doing that.

Look at the works of the aboriginal artist Rusty Peters:

http://www.moragalleries.com.au/rpeters/

Are they just beautifully arranged areas of colour? Would that make them art
or just nice interior design pieces? 

They are, in fact, images that are intended to tell a story about the
landscape and the myths and legends of the culture of the Kimberley area of
Australia.  Landscape and its link with memory and emotion is vitally
important to these artists and they shine through in the works, clearly making
them art.






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