What Defines Art?

Posted By on Jun 2, 2015 | 8 comments


What Defines Art?
by Z Zoccolante

 

 

“If you could have one last conversation before you died,” my friend asked me, “what would you want to talk about?”

 

The answer to this question provides insight into your passion and the career you might pursue.

 

One friend answered by saying they’d talk about art and the purpose it has in the world.

 

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I remember an argument/discussion I had with a teacher years ago, about what defined art. I thought of the ridiculous image of a single dot on an entirely white canvass. He gave me the Piss Christ example. We argued/discussed the issue in front of the class.

 

I said that art was whatever society deemed it to be. A single dot on a canvass is ridiculous to me, yet if someone says it’s art, and people agree, then it becomes art. He disagreed saying that art was defined by the ability to make an audience feel something. His example of the Piss Christ indeed provoked many feelings.

 

Since that conversation, I often find myself drawn back to the definition of art and the role it plays in our lives. Being a writer/actress I operate as an artist. This means that my world contains parts of magic, fantasy, chaos, mood swings, unrealistic expectations, bliss, deflation, tears, persistence, black holes, and wings.

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Whatever our personal definition of art, we can agree that our world would not be the same without it. We’re designed to create because our brains have the power of imagination. Art is a fundamental expression of our endless creativity and is present in all facets of our lives, from brilliant advertising to random street art to the fractal patterns of flowers. Art surrounds us.

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We create art for many reasons: to explore purpose, meaning, expression, and connection. But perhaps, most of all, we create art because we can’t suppress it. Art oozes from our fingertips, throats, pens, feet, bodies, minds, and hearts. Art provides us a space to understand who we are.  Art is therapy, medicine, health and healing. Art allows us to live a million different lives without leaving the room.

 

It’s been proven that in times of suffering people gravitate towards song.

 

This week, as I took my parents to visit the colorful beach streets of Venice, CA, my dad wandered off. When I found him, he was standing silently in front of a homeless man who was in a trance as he ran his hands over piano keys.

 

His music stopped me silent, and together my dad and I stood on the dirty sidewalk and listened to the piano man play a stream of gorgeous notes as people continued to walk by. In another life this man might be in a tux, on the huge stage of an acoustic hall, with an audience of thousands.

 

Instead, he was on a concrete street in Venice, unshaved and unwashed, playing as though the world didn’t exist. Playing as though the only real thing was the twelve inches between his hands and his head that he bent towards the keys.

 

He froze for a good 30 seconds, PianoManPauses motionless and then began another song. The notes flowed like rivers, like stories. Behind my sunglasses tears budded and slid down my cheek, and that’s when I remembered the conversations about art.

 

Art is something that makes you feel. 

 

On this day, art overflowed my heart and had me crying on a sidewalk in Venice, reminding me of its power to cut through our armor. No matter where that art comes from, we recognize it deep at our core and it resonates with us on a subconscious level.

 

Forward Locomotion:
Whatever your art is, throw your heart over the line. Art has the power to make people feel the vast expanse of emotion. It can change lives. Your art is important and it matters like crazy.

 

Screen Shot 2015-05-27 at 4.16.55 PMClick on the links below to enjoy the piano man’s concert at Venice Beach:

PianoManPart1

PianoManPart2

 

With Love,
Z ;)

If you enjoyed this post, you’ll probably dig this:
Why Do People Sing? During times of struggle people often sing. This cool article explains why.

8 Comments

  1. Avatar

    And then there are the people who cannot accept the creation of ART from some lowly person who has not already made a name for themselves. Is it because one must always “name drop?” People create in so many ways and so many places and yet, it is not art if it comes from a “shop” but becomes art if you suddenly call your shop a “studio.” People are obsessed with what others will think, or what it might. Art is in everything that one could choose to create – even that little black dot on a piece of white paper.

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  2. Avatar

    You weren’t the only one with the tears listening to the magic that those keys were playing.
    I wish I knew his story cause it reeked an image in my imagination that brought a sadness as to how someone with so much to offer was playing for no one else but himself oblivious to the world around him..or at least in my mind that’s how it played out.

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  3. Avatar

    WOW! First this man was amazing. Like you said, he could be playing at a huge concert hall in a tux. Here he was playing with heart and soul for the people to enjoy his beautiful talented gift. It is amazing that art is our world. Just looking around everyday it fills our lives. It is so funny before I went to bed last night after totally cleaning my house windows, linens, vacuuming etc. I thought of painting today. By cleaning yesterday, which inspired me from your last blog. I feel motivated to put my ideas on canvas and listen to music by “Enya.” I wish we had bought his CD. Art is something that definitely makes you feel. Going to go express myself on canvas now.

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  4. Avatar

    Wow! this really touched my heart… I’ve been thinking a lot about the Art of Love and beauty of God’s creation lately and how it comes to each of us differently … Awakening our souls sprinkling it with inspiration and love for life…..
    What a great share Z.
    Thanks so much! for stirring that fire in us..

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    • Z Zoccolante

      Thank you. I love what you said about God’s creation and how it speaks to us differently. So glad this share touched you. xo

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