What is Art?

Art has been the central part of human civilization. When it comes to Egypt, pyramids are always brought up. So far, I have been to the University’s Museum, Rowan Oak, Graceland Too, and Ajax, and I wonder what exactly art is. Although the things that I mentioned above are different, they are all considered as art, because they have one thing in common: creation.

Art is the combination of creation and personal feelings of artists that would strike a chord with their audience. For example, Theora Hamblette is a famous folk artist in Mississippi. Most of her paintings are about her farm life. In one of her series, “Untitled”, is a shocking reminder to me, the good old days with my childhood friends. Little did I know about her life when I visited the museum, but somehow it came to me that the artist has something to say about her childhood. Hamblette told her audience through her paintings, and her paintings might give her audience different feelings. There was quilt art on display. I was astonished by how it looked, because quilt is something that we use to cover our bodies when we go to bed, but according to the director “when it is put on the wall it becomes art!”

In order to experience art, I made my very own painting and two mosaics. I think they are a kind of art, though I am not famous. I made them in the way that I perceived my pictures and in combination of my personal feelings, just like any artists. Another thing about this is that when I made my mosaics I was trying so hard to get the images that I perceived from the movies. When I put my images down, I knew I had to think about whether or not people could relate to my mosaics. If they can’t, then the mosaics should at least make them know what I wanted to say, just like Hamblette’s paintings.

Art is the refined form of creation, especially when it comes to literature. Literature refines words and thoughts of a writer. It gives us space to think about the things that the writer writes about. For example, in “A Rose for Emily”, Faulkner depicts a town life of his days. The way he wrote it makes us interested in the town life, and we begin to think carefully as we read. It also makes us ponder at the reasons why Emily would murder her husband. Literature also appeals to the emotions of a writer. “A Rose for Emily” is based on what Faulkner had seen in Mississippi. Accordingly, reading it is just like opening a door which leads me back to his days. I once believed it to be a true story!

Art could be found in the form of music. Whether it is rock and roll, country music, jazz, or blue, they could strike a chord with us. Music not only has stress-relieving sounds but also expresses the feelings of singers, and the feelings transmit to their fans. It is something that we listen first and share our feelings with one another about. I went to Graceland Too to see Elvis Presley’s collection, but when I got there the owner didn’t answer the door. As a result, I watched his videos on YouTube. I listened to one of his songs, “Words”, and it sounded so great. I have heard it sung by another band, but I didn’t know Presley came first. A quote from “Yesterday Once More”, “When I was young, I listened to the radio, waiting for my favorite song…,” best describes how I relate to music. It is the song that I would listen to again and again. I may not know how the singer feels. All I know is that the song is sad, and the singer craftily passed this feeling on me.

Art has many faces. It can’t be defined in one way. In short, if we find something to appreciate, it could be called “art”.