In Response to Katie's Question

“Art” is such a general term that it is difficult to place an exact definition onto it. The dictionary defines art as “The expression or application of human creative skill and imagination… producing works to be appreciated primarily for their beauty or emotional power”. In class, we have discussed how a large factor in the definition of art is its intent. In my opinion, art is extremely subjective to individuals and therefore cannot be limited to include only works which were intended to be considered as art. Art should be anything created or altered by the human hand that one or many finds to be aesthetically pleasing. This definition allows for more than just works which are intended to be considered art to fall under the category of art granted that several people find works which were not intended to be art aesthetically pleasing. Many seem to agree that at a minimum, art is something that individuals may find to be pleasing to the senses. Art takes on several different forms which please the senses in a variety of different ways. Art can be visually pleasing in forms such as drawings, paintings, sculptures, dances, plays etc. Art is also pleasing in an auditory way through things such as music or even taste through a chef’s creations. There is such a wide variety of art forms in the world that it is difficult to capture all that the word “art” implies under one general definition. Other than visual art what is the most prominent art form?