Mona Lisa Smile ^_^

As I mentioned earlier....I had, quite some time back landed myself in a trivial argument with a contradicting so-called "writer" and "Liberalist" who refused to believe in a different form of art or creativity other that hers.(Oh well!)

But ever since then, I have always pondered upon that and laughed and wondered "Art, Creativity...what do people really understand of it?" And it's always brought me back to my favourite Julie Robert's Mona Lisa Smile.
If you've seen the movie you'll know what I'm talking about. (And If you've seen the movie you've gotta love it.) A class of students master everything in their books from head to tail even before the acedemic year begins. You might think wonderful class, but then what do they know outside the text book......hmmmm not much, huh? where did the art appreciating go wrong in school?!
My unworthy opponent stated that photography was an art only mastered by few. And certain family photographswere thus not artful enough. However, graphics editing need not have any level of professionalism or experience!!!! Much like - Anyone who says "art is anthing I say is art, is art" just another way for a non-artist to justify the non-art.
So, then what defines art? Is it just be a renowned artist that makes it art. Do, you have to spend millions of money on art school, just to show people your art and have them appreciated?!
What would you say to a person who stood besides you in a art gallery and said - " I think the Mona Lisa sucks!" or "Vincent van Gogh simply paints landscapes...what's art in that? Any person with skill can do that"
Sadly enough, "unprofessional" work is the most creative artwork usually. Why do we spend millions of dollars to buy a painting of some"famous" artist that looks lke it's made of calk and crayons; but laugh at a small child's art?! "St. Valentine's Day Massacre", has a large, floating, orblike, slightly heart-shaped beacon of color in the middle of the canvas. Oddly enough, closer inspection might suggest that the figure looks like the imprint from a large set of buttocks. (Which it is since the artist ended up sitting on his canvas.) The other fraternity brothers submit paintings of similar quality. ?!!!! As far as art is concerned, I guess it doesn't matter if it's thought to be good or bad, as long as the consumer likes it. If you like something, then it's "good" art. But if you don't, it doesn't mean it's not.
One day as we all chatted merrily away, a friend told us about her expidition to the art gallery where a group of school students were accompnying them too. The teacher had given out face cards, one type was a smile, and the oher a sad face. The students had to place them below drawings and rate them accordingly. And children did as told. But, the results?! The children thubmed up paintings with more white, simply coz it looked like cotton candy or icecream. And the darker paintings were thubmed down :p
But then again, learning from our mistakes as we accept them brings us to a point where we ask - " How can one know what is true art??"
"Guud owne, mate!" I say. And lucky for you I have the answers right here-
-->Good art can be a matter of good concept or excellent skills in execution, but I think great art touches the mind, heart or soul of the viewer.
-->Art is anything that "touches" you in a way.
To me, art is something you can watch, hear, feel or taste each day, every day, and never grow tired of how it makes you feel......
-->Craft (or skill), Mimesis (representation),Aesthetics (Form or beauty)
Expression.
-->When you discover new different things the more you look at it or read it.
And most of all,
-->Art is everywhere though. It just depends on how you look at it. ;)

So, here's to all those who got it out wrong there. But then, again there's no right from wrong in art...it's just a matter of perspective and broad vision!!!!


PS: I know you're watching...copy this too! BTW I hope you liked this post on you ^_^