[BenLurkin]

But the point is not whether aesthetes are right or wrong, but whether they can offer us stimulating and original ways of seeing, listening and experiencing.

No thanks. Keep it to yourselves.

[ClearCase_guy]

1) Art can make you admire the Creator -- This aims at Joy, such as Beethoven's "Ode to Joy".
2) Art can make you admire the Creation -- ultimately, this results in sadness and loss. The transient nature of things becomes apparent when we focus on the Creation. In some cases (such as some Blues) this can help us focus of that which is not passing (see #1). In other cases, such as Michael Jackson, it allows us to wallow in the illusion of happiness within this passing world, and this can be our downfall.
3) Art can make you admire yourself -- this is Pride. This is sin. It is unavoidable, but we should be aware when we put ourselves on a pedestal, we set ourselves up as God and this is how we are lost. Much of Modern Art takes this form: "I'm so clever, I'm so sophisticated. I like splattered paint, if you do not see the beauty, it is because you are not at my level." Serrano's "Piss Christ" is "art" of this type, where the focus is really on the viewer's appreciation for counter-cultural values, not so much on the object itself.

Show me the art you like, and I'll tell you about your soul.

[cripplecreek]

Hate to tell them but these days "art" is about expressing the right political or ideological leanings when describing the painting, sculpture, photo etc.

Andreas Gurskey's heavily post processed Rhine II went for some $4.3 million dollars. He said that he wanted to show the state of the heavily constrained once free rivers of the world.

[A_perfect_lady]

My only criteria for art is that it should be 1) pretty and 2) not sweet. If I like it, it’s art.

[left that other site]

Up until I entered Art College in 1970, I labored under the discarded but quaint notion that the purpose of creating art and music was to create beauty, inspire people, and even to stimulate thinking and discussion.

I was quickly disabused of this avuncular “nonsense” and lectured about dissonance and ugliness for its own sake.

I realize now that this was preparation to prepare our culture to accept mediocrity and propaganda as the norm.

The messianic image of obama that was peddled as “high Art” which echoed the Socialist realism of the Stalin Era is a perfect illustration of the elevation of mediocrity in service to the State.

The Coarsening of Our Civilization, evidenced by high-tech filth that passes for movies, debased language, pop music that is devoid of melody and looped around one electronic measure, the sexual exploitation of children, and “political correctness” are all symptoms of a deeper sickness which has infected all aspects of our culture.

Maybe I am just an old crank, but I have a hard time finding any contemporary art, music, or literature that will be taken seriously one hundred years from now.

Just my opinion.

[freekitty]

Sounds like what they are saying is we can be as disgusting as we want in art.

[Excellence]

Thought this might interest you.

This speaks to the humanist psychology piece you posted. It’s part of humans “knowing good and evil” without God’s help. Very depressing.

[Utah Binger]

Cloud World 1925 by Maynard Dixon

[Utah Binger]

Connectivity by Denise Mahlke

[Albion Wilde]

Does the ornithologist teach the bird to sing?

(I forget who said that.)

[blueunicorn6]

Art comes from the scientist. I believe that you cannot be an artist in any field without first mastering the science of the field. Anyone can write poetry or paint a picture or compose music. The artist understands that he/she must master the fundamentals, the science, of the field. After that, I look for work. Does the artist care about the audience? Is the artist willing to put in the time, effort, thought and care to produce something worthwhile? Crapping on a canvas may be “edgy”, but is it art? I actually studied under communist professors. “All art must support the revolution, or it is not art!” I asked him about Bach and Frost and Monet. He said that they weren’t artists. I think that much of what passes for art is just entertainment and groupthink.