Andy Warhol

Arthur Danto is an American art critic and philosopher.  We started class looking at Andy Warhol's Brillo Boxes and studying them while listening to Danto's critic.  Danto's stated that art had changed drastically over history and that he always looked at art for what it was.  He does not only look at the medium of a piece of art (i.e. paint, clay, charcoal), but instead looks at the artwork for a philosophical meaning.  Danto once said the "the end of art" has come.  He was referring to how art was changing and the way that it was becoming more conceptual, just as Andy Warhol's Boxes were.  Danto was describing not the end of all art or good art , but the end of Western art.  He saw that it's limitations were no longer being adhered to by artists.  This made Danto begin to question what art really meant.
Damien Hirst is a conceptual artist who takes everyday objects and displays them in a way that makes people read into them.  Hirst creates his artwork in a way that different viewers can see its symbolism in a variety of different ways. Hirst's artwork explores human experience in forms of death, love and hate.  Conceptual art, "modern art" allows people to reflect on their impression of artwork.  This is a link to a website that shows different pieces of Hirst's artwork, from painting and sculptures, to drawings.  Damien Hirst  
What is art?, is a question which has puzzled artists and art critics throughout history.  This question is an important one when talking about conceptual art.  Artists like, Marcel Duchamp began questioning art and making everyday objects into art, Andy Warhol began creating pieces which imitate other pieces, and Damien Hirst creating art from animals and everyday objects, made the question  what is Art?, become even more analyzed and controversial.  The definition of art changes throughout time and history. 
Milton Glaser, is an artist and graphic designer.  We listened to his opinion of what is art, and what art is not.  He states how powerful art is for the survival of culture.  In his conclusion of this question, his distinction between what is art and what is not, is based on attentiveness.  Glaser believes that if something moves you to attentiveness, then its art.  If it does not, then it is not art.  He feels that art has changed and now has impurities, those being status and money.  Status and money should not drive an artist to create artwork.  Glaser ends on the issue of beauty and art.  He believes that beauty is something that can bring a person to attentiveness, but that is not what makes it art.  I believe art can be anything, no matter if it is beautiful or not.  Milton Glaser's website: Matt Glaser's Website

For me the question, "What is art?' can not just be answered in one way.  I believe that every person has their own opinion of what art is.  Different views, likes and dislikes reflect ones own take on various pieces of artwork.  The question is so broad and what is considered to be art in today's society is highly controversial.   


Mia Powers