What is Art?

What is art?

Is it when you pick up the brush and smear all your creativity on the canvas?

Is it when you play with colours as you try to reproduce on a blank sheet the things enraging on your mind?

Is it when you pour down your feelings at 2 in the morning because the only thing standing between them and you is a piece of paper and a pen?

Are you creating art when you share them with the paper because there is no one else?

Is it the slashes you make on your wrists with the blade and watch the liquid flow slowly as you drop into oblivion?

Is it art when in the middle of a cold night, when you have given up on your life and a blank piece of paper lies in front of you?

Is that piece of paper a work of art?

I don’t know.
I don’t understand art.

Reviews

[Solar]

Perhaps 'art' is that which elevates or at least challenges the viewer, to look again? Perhaps 'great' art has a beauty that lingers on, a timeless quality?

Not sure that slashing the wrists is meant to be taking as art, a cry for attention and help, perhaps?

A poem that raises questions - thanks for sharing.

[Blackheart]

Thank you for sharing your opinions. I really appreciate it. The meaning of art is something which in my opinion is impossible to convey with words. Though, creating art with the help of words is possible. People create their own meanings of art by everything they look around, introspect and understand. And This differs from person to person.
Slashed wrists and blood flowing out if them is indeed a cry for help. Literally. But for some, it may be art too. Abstractly.
After all art is something undefined isn't it? :)

[Solar]

Perhaps. But then why have 'art' - its just all 'life'? A post-modern take seems a bit reductionistic. Perhaps the ancient Indian idea of the 'rasas' gives some dimensionality. 'Something undefined' - is there a base line universality? just a question...

[Blackheart]

Life is mundane, sometimes monotonous to us. Creating art is kind of an escape strategy from the real world. To venture into paths unknown. Paths which cannot be understood. Creating a comfort zone for ourselves. Deviating us away from the crowd. Whether it's writing a verse or painting on a canvas. It's all the same. Sometimes it clashes with reality. Starts to exist in both the worlds.

[Solar]

a twilight zone.. was just reading this ....'In art and dream may you proceed with abandon. In life may you proceed with balance and stealth. — Patti Smith

[Blackheart]

Golden words I must say. And true to the core.

[TNAULREY]

Love that searching your heart and finding new answers to what art means to you. I feel that ones art and creativity is like any relationship. You have ups and downs. You have to work hard to keep the fire going. Sometimes your heart is beating fast, your pulse is racing and your mind is full of ideas . Other times, you question why your in this relationship at all. Wonderfully written . Keep up the good fight, this relationship is worth it.

[Mary Helda]

I don't understand art either and i canr exactly explain it but I know art is beautiful, it has the ability to portray a person's emotions to the fullest... its something that you can't help but fall in love with....great piece...

[Blackheart]

Indeed. What you said is absolutely true. :)

[armin]

For me 'art' is creating something that is an expression of emotions, impression and an imagination.

Good writing, I enjoyed the poem.

Armin. ....

[Blackheart]

Beautiful interpretation. Indeed, art has many forms and this is certainly one of them. Thank you for stopping by.

[θεά]

Art is what you make out of it.
And you have expressed a range of emotions through very passionate set of questions.

If these questions bother you, and you want to find souls who've written about similar themes, I'd recommend you to read E.H.Gombrich's 'Meditations on a Hobby Horse', Walter Benjamin's 'The work of art in the age of mechanical reproduction', and W.J.T.Mitchell's 'Picture Theory' to explore such themes with greater conviction.

And if you don't want to read any of these, you're fine. :)

Looking forward to your other writings,
Best,
M.

[Blackheart]

Thank you so very much for reading and reviewing this and a more ginormous thank you to you for recommending me these books!

I will surely check them out and present my views to you very soon. I always love it when people suggest books for me. :D

[Ellen Kolman]

thought provoking...art is individual...like you, like me...great poem

[Blackheart]

Indeed. thank you so much for your kind words. :)

[jesserose99]

well I am sure people who are sending their dying wish do consider it their last form of art. Is art a piece of ones heart? I guess I don't understand it if it isn't, because I don't know who gets to define it. It is a pitty there is so much shared of the heart that others don't see...it goes unnoticed, and therefore the heart feels invisible, and maybe that's part of the reason why one feels the need to slash ones wrists.

Maybe I overanalyze art...maybe we all do!

[jesserose99]

Oh, you got me thinking so much I forgot to say...hey, you write some really interesting, deep work, and I really enjoy it!

[Blackheart]

The meaning of art is unclear to mortals. A person's heart can be the birth place of art. In whatever form that is. It all comes from within. Sometimes it creates a masterpiece and sometimes it leaves us with slashed wrists.

[Blackheart]

Thank you so much mam. It's a privilege to get such inspiring comments from you. Glad you liked my work. :)

[jesserose99]

Thank you for discussing your work like this, it makes it such a rich experience for the reader. I think you are an artist. ;)

[Blackheart]

Hahaha. The pleasure is all mine. And yes, I do strive to be an artist and create. A long way to go apparently but still I am trying my best. :D

[several thousand]

Modern art is a mystery to many. Reminds me of an article i read the other day. A lady got stabbed in an art gallery in China but no one turned a hair because they thought it was an art performance...

[Blackheart]

The very meaning of art is contradictory. And modern art? Even taking selfies is considered an art nowadays. 21st century it is.