Art in Everything

What is art? In the dictionary, it is described as an "activity in which man recreates, with an aesthetic purpose, an aspect of reality or a feeling in beautiful forms using matter, image or sound." Still, in reality, it is much more than that. Art does not have to be created by man but can be found naturally in the environment, leading to artists' inspiration.

Art is not something that can be objectively called "pretty," "ugly," or "good" and "bad." It is subjective and dependent on personal taste. A person may like Van Gogh but not Rembrandt, which does not mean one is better than the others. This stems from the debates about the value of different works of art. Monet, Picasso, and Da Vinci, but the mistake here are that not all artists are painters.

When one uses the word "art," the first thing that comes to mind is paintings, drawings, or pictures. But the reality is that art includes any method of expression. It can be found in music, theater, clothing, photography, architecture, and cinematography.  As it is a form of expression or of communicating a message or an idea, it is impossible to make a work of art, in whatever form it takes, that will please everyone who consumes it because each person is different, and such are their tastes.

There are also areas of art that are indirectly linked to others. For example, some types of music, such as heavy metal, are linked to forms of dress, such as gothic or punk, which are also categories of architecture and cinematography. These are different particular characteristics that connect them. This example has dark colors, low luminosity, and a  heavier but powerful and impactful vibe.

Of course, there are artistic pieces that are more controversial, widely debated, or criticized in mass culture. One widely discussed example is graffiti. To some people, it is art, and to others, it is vandalism. Banksy is an urban art artist who has not revealed his identity. This should be attributed to the fact that his works are mainly done on public streets and in the format of realistic graffiti. At the moment, graffiti is illegal and seen as vandalism. Still, Banksy's works have a socio-political message that touches the public. In a blog called "Medium" by Cynthia Yang, she says, "Banksy creates art through vandalism." Some of his works had to be removed because they violated Bristol's "anti-graffiti" law.

Cultural journalism has several focal areas. For example, the art world. This includes all possible aesthetic visual manifestations. It also consists of images of popular culture. This encompasses the area of entertainment, both high arts, popular movies, radio, and television. 

Theater, film, literature, art, and music are parts of everyone's daily lives that enrich and fill them with color. With the evolution of media and globalization, many countries are involving parts and sections of foreign cultures within their own so that all cultures continue to evolve constantly. Its purpose is to be consumed and appreciated, making cuisine also fit into that category. 

Sharon Butler posted on The Smithsonian about painter and chef Filippo Tommaso Marinetti: “​​In 1932, Marinetti published The Futurist Cookbook. It was not merely a set of recipes; it was a kind of manifesto. He cast food preparation and consumption as part of a new worldview in which entertaining became an avant-garde performance. The book prescribed the necessary elements for a perfect meal. Such dining had to feature originality, harmony, sculptural form, scent, music between courses, a combination of dishes, and variously flavored small canapés.”

Of course, there are professionals such as food, film, or art critics whose job is to judge the quality of the artwork. Each of these fields has specific relevant criteria that have to be met to receive a positive review. For example, when it comes to art (as in paintings, sculpture, etc.), these criteria depend on the different patterns or styles of art presented. Regarding food, the critics analyze presentation, service, and ambiance as a general experience evaluation aside from criticizing the food on taste, technique, and creativity.

Since art is entirely subjective, it leads me to wonder what is the role of art critics, what are the characteristics that call a work "real art," and why other art media, such as photography, are not considered in the same way.

To critique a work of art, you must know about the artist. You have to have an extensive understanding of color palettes, textures, and styles, among other modalities of how a work of art is executed, but at the end of the day, you can't use the words "good" or "bad" or "pretty" or "ugly." A critique is primarily an explanation of the work with a recommendation at the end compared to other similar jobs, along the lines of "if you liked this work by Monet, you would like this other work by Picasso." 

Photography, despite being an artistic method in which the definitive action is a "click," and that's it, is defined in La Vanguardia as follows: "For a photograph to be considered a work of art, it has to have the compositional skill and technical and aesthetic mastery." 

It is a work of art because it interprets nature and the environment through the eyes of the artist. Just as an abstract painting is a glimpse inside the painter's mind, or a film is a look inside the director's soul, photography is another way for an artist to express his thoughts and feelings and share them with the world.

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