by queen v

Created on: November 07, 2008

is notable how there are certain words that have rather subjective meanings and that one cannot really pin-point an exact meaning to them, and ironically, who is to know that a human's entire vocabulary is not completely subjective as it is. I mention the subjectivity of an entire vocabulary with the idea of the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis in mind, which states that language is only but a reflection of culture and this language limits and is limited by how a human perceives the world. However only certain words will be mentioned at this moment to exemplify subjectivity, and such words include love, freedom, abundance, beauty, and art. Furthermore, for the purpose of this essay, only the word art should be mentioned. The purpose of this essay is to understand how any subjective definition of art is a physical manifestation of the inner world, or psyche, of the artist. This relationship between the artist and his or her work, in other words, is a direct physical manifestation of the non-material elements which make up an individual and his or her soul, ranging from values, culture, perspective, and emotion.

What is art? The definition of art has changed throughout history. The term was born in Renaissance Italy and at first it encompassed "decorative arts and crafts [but later included] music and poetry," but throughout the years the definition has changed to just about "anything" (Witcombe). But what specifically is "anything"? Professor Witcombe from Sweet Briar College quotes the Britanica Online Encyclopedia to provide a more precise definition of such a subjective word as is art. The encyclopedia defines art as "the use of skill and imagination in the creation of aesthetic objects, environments, or experiences that can be shared with others." In truth, a painting can be called a piece of art, and so can sculptures based on their aesthetic appeal, but so can a novel based in the environment it creates for the reader. As stated by the encyclopedia, however, there should be other "subjects" to be considered "pieces" of art. Think for a moment of the term "escape artist." With our new definition of art, one can immediately understand that an individual who uses his or her skills and imagination while attempting to break free of chains while trapped underwater is indeed an artist. At a recent visit to the Art department at Texas Tech University I was amused at some of the displays which included colorful plastic tubes leaning against a wall, beaded clothes, and even

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