The Artist, the Work, and the Audience

The Artist, the Work, and the Audience

Art can be formally defined as the quality, expression, or production of what is beautiful or appealing. However, this definition can be misleading because essentially, if there is an audience for it, anything could be classified as art. Art is created whenever there is an artist who can create or produce the work, and an audience who can appreciate, enjoy, and cherish the work.

Art really has no limits when it is viewed through this spectrum. There are so many possibilities as to what could be created when one views art with an open mind. So many people think of art simply as old, boring paintings on a wall; but in reality, art can be whatever the artist creates to satisfy the unique tastes of the audience. For example, if there was an audience who absolutely loved sculptures of butter with little marshmallows and sprinkles added on as decoration, and an artist willing to create this unique creation; this oddity would be considered art. It is not the work itself that is truly important; it is the meaning of the work to the audience. Art has no boundaries. It is only limited to what the human mind can create and enjoy.

Another thing that often comes to mind when people think of art is music. A common question among people of all ages is: What kind of music do you like? This seems like an ordinary, almost redundant question in regards to the topic at hand, but it is actually very important in the spectrum of art. Think for a moment of all the different types and styles of music. There are more out there that most people can name off the top of their heads. The important question here is, “Why are there so many different types of music?” The answer is that there are so many different types of music because at one point in time there was a person who enjoyed that style of music, and an artist who was skilled enough to create it.

Art is not just old paintings hanging on a wall in a European museum; it is...