Great Art shows you something you've never seen before. Be it four dogs playing poker, or an interesting shot of a wine glass reflecting the room behind it. Sure you've seen wine glasses before, but have you ever seen them a foot and a half tall with a very specific shade of red wine, with that exact room behind it?

Great Art captures an image of something unique. It takes everyday images, emotions, or sounds and presents itself in a way that you as the viewer would never have thought to look at it before. A certain angle is presented on an item as common as a table and it is suddenly art. A certain shade of colour is mixed to convey a specific meaning, or feeling which captures that feeling of art. You know what love is, but an artist creates it into an image and shows it to you. The beauty is that each artist see's something different and shows you in different ways.

One example comes to mind. A controversial art piece came out in New York. A huge fish tank filled with human urine sporting a giant crucifix floating inside. This is appalling! It is disgusting! It is disrespectful and rude! But he took two common place items and put them together in a way you have never seen before. I cannot say for sure if this is 'great' art. But it is art. I hated it and hated the thought of it. But we cannot deny that it showed me something unique. It portrayed a message that I have never thought of. It made me open my mind and made me grow a little in my beliefs just by looking at it.

Another example that I mentioned above is of the dogs playing poker. This piece of art is classic for many reasons. One, everybody reading this knows which one I am talking about. It has been redone in Simpsons, movies, books, everywhere. Two, it is funny! The randomness of the painting makes you smile. The absurdity makes it memorable. You can't help but like it and remember it, and tell others that you've seen it. Three, the dogs all look so serious, each trying to keep their poker faces, not wanting to reveal their cards to each other. Humanity can see a bit of themselves in the dogs. This gives it a sense of belonging, a sense of familiarity in the faces and the surroundings.

All those reasons make this piece great. But the truth is the artist take two commonplace things, dogs and cards, and shows them to you in a way you have never seen them, in a way that you would never have thought to see them and in a way that no one else has shown you. That is what makes this great art.

Learn more about this author, Jac Alyn.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.

---

Add your voice

Know something about What makes something great art?
We want to hear your view. Write now!