Throughout history, people have tried to answer the question of what art is. It can be difficult to define as the concept is so personal and subjective to each individual. Many people may feel that they have an instinctive understanding of what art is, but it is hard to put it into words. Whether created with a quill, paintbrush, or Nikon, art is an expression of the individual that can invoke emotions and feelings that are unique to each person. It has the power to inspire creativity and innovation, and encourage imagination and lateral thinking. It also promotes a sense of community, and can bring together groups of people who otherwise would not have had contact with one another.
Many forms of art can be found in the world around us, from a sculpture of an ancient Egyptian god to a graffiti mural that depicts a scene of war. Each piece of art has a function that it serves to accomplish. Some of these functions include entertainment, the creation of awareness, and the celebration of culture. It is important for artists to understand what their purpose is and how they can achieve it.
In the past, much art was religious in nature. This is probably because religion was an easy subject to depict and could be mass-produced. However, in recent years, there has been a trend towards more abstract art that seeks to convey a message or feeling rather than portray a historical event. The creation of this type of art is often influenced by social and political issues that are being discussed at the time.
Artists have the ability to pull the heartstrings of others and inspire them to change. This is especially true when they are using their art to fight against racism or other forms of unjust societal segregation. For example, when the graffiti artist Blu creates a mural of two masked figures trying to unmask each other, it causes a strong reaction from those who see the image. This is a very effective way to raise awareness of these kinds of issues and to help people see the importance of accepting other cultures into our own.
A philosophical argument known as the “Open Concept Argument” suggests that any work can be regarded as art if it is open to any case that calls for a decision about whether or not to extend it. This argument is used by philosophers who believe that the definition of art is indefinable. Other philosophical arguments have been made that challenge traditional definitions of art. For example, Stephen Davies argues that an object can be considered as a work of art if it has an identifying feature, a determining intention by its maker/presenter and it entails the skill and achievement of significant aesthetic goals. This is similar to the cladistic definition of art that was popularized by Arthur Danto in his book Art and Social Form. However, the use of this criterion has raised questions about its validity as an objective definition.