What is art?

Art can be defined in many ways. There are several sectors within the arts some of which include music, dance, visual art, films and theatre (Kerrigan & O’Reilly). Therefore it can be difficult to have one definition for art due to the varying experiences of each ‘sector’. Fisher (1997) says that the arts transform the way we see the world.  Whilst Bolton (1997) defines them as a unique, sustained exploration of the human condition. In a sense they are both correct. I can think of art that has transformed the way I see something for example the film Eternal Sunshine of a Spotless Mind (2004), which changed the way I think about memories. 

But whilst creating my own art, and analysing others, I can often see a reflection of our society. Fight Club (1999) does this well, particularly at the beginning, showing how in a capitalist society you buy products because you feel a need to, but in the end what do they mean? 

Art can also “define the values, tastes, histories and skills of the holding nation” (Africa News Service, 2013) and therefore art is reflective of people. More traditional British films for example The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (2011), despite being set in India, shows a lot of values commonly found in British elderly people. I can think of films that fit many a definition of art but my personal favourite is art as experience.   

The Oxford English Dictionary (2015) defines using ‘experience’ as a verb as “[to] feel (an emotion or sensation)”. Arts are an experience, is a common modern view (Boorsma & Chiaravalloti, 2010). The arts are closely related to thoughts and feelings. These emotions are essential to forming experience. I feel this broad definition of the arts to be the best as art can be both transformative and a reflection of what we see every day but it is always an experience.