There is an old anecdote in which a doctor boasts that he saves lives. An artist responds, "Ah, but I make life worth living."

I dunno 'bout that anymore.

There is so much "art" (film, television, music) that distorts life through a romanticized lens, that I think most of it is probably doing us a disservice; by distracting us with the fantasy of the "happy ending" and thereby turning us away from addressing the problems in our society. Has art joined religion as the "opiate of the masses"?

I'm a little verklempt. Discuss...

I believe art as an expression of oneself is a great thing. The creative process for an artist is what makes life worth living. For some people this equates as a quality of life issue.

For me personally, I believe that art is a great thing. There are times in my life that have been defined and changed by music, art and theatre. Without those times I would not be the person I am today.


just my

when i hear britney spears talk in interviews about her "art", i begin to think that we need to re-examine what art is.

Art isn't always a celebration of beauty, although its easy to see it that way. Some art does reflect the problems in society.

nevermind! I should learn to read threads properly!
[Edited 5/11/05 10:23am]

I believe if masses like it then it's NOT art.

Does it sound snobbish?

Anxiety said:

I believe when we hear Britney Spears getting any media attention, we need to re-examine what the fuck we've become.

I believe Art is a VERY good thing. It reflects your thoughts and ideas onto a peice of paper creating something beautiful just like you. Art is something you can release anything you want to, and I sure as hell take advantage of that.

Lleena said:

Yes, there are exceptions to every rule. But sometimes, it seems to me, we are bombarded with entertainment that wants us to believe that there is a "happy ending" waiting for us. And the irony is that people pay to watch/listen to these fairy tales.

I believe there is a difference between entertainment and art

just like I believe there is a difference between movies and films

Art is a good thing
the rubbish that gets churned out because its easy to market is not

butterfli25 said:

I would agree with the former (although not always), but disagree with the latter. Care to elaborate?

Raine said:

Oh, I dunno...there's plenty of so-called "art" (e.g. things that are championed by critics) that is just as full of bullshit as mainstream entertainment.

critics

they are full of bullshit

Raine said:

What kills me is when they rave about a film (for example), when it is just a Hollywood formula dressed-down in indie rags. And they do this all the time.

Ace said:

i read a music review a while ago the excuse for not liking it was basicly they are too old and we want people to think we are

Art is a 'good thing' as a key to a balanced education. It's one of the greatest catalysts for debate, and debate is the greatest catalyst of balanced change. Art influences all aspects of our lives. Why should 'Sign O' The Times' be considered a lesser art form than say the Mona Lisa? Art is a good thing in that it holds up a mirror up to ourselves and makes us see what makes us tick. That's why art is a good and important thing because it takes us on a personal journey. It's like nothing else! I mean who relates to mathematics or physics?!

Raine said:

Music crtics are the worst. There are a few who are worth reading, but it seems like the vast majority of them are just insecure losers who are desperate to show you how "cool" their record collection is.

JDINTERACTIVE said:

Yes, good art is a great catalyst for debate. Unfortunately, so much of what passes for it is just a bunch of folks trying to impress (and/or make dough).

Ace said:

In terms of visual art, yes I agree. At this particular moment, anything say by Tracy Emin at the moment is considered somehow important.

The Spring Recordings (tate modern)

Tremlett made The Spring Recordings (1972) in just over three weeks, from May to early June. At the time there were 81 counties in Britain. In each county, he selected a spot in the countryside to make a recording on audio cassette of the sounds he encountered, principally wind or bird song. Each cassette is 15 minutes in length and includes a brief description, spoken by the artist, indicating the name of the county, the time of day and the state of the weather. The 81 cassettes, which are displayed on a glass shelf, are labelled by county. The cassette which is currently playing is randomly selected and will be changed on a weekly basis.


Yes its a shelf of enviromental records

.
[Edited 5/11/05 11:26am]

Raine said:

now i gotta go to the bathroom.

Anxiety said:

Raine said:

Ace said:

when i went to tate modern someone had forgotten to put the tape on

Raine said:

How could you tell the difference?

Ace said:

it sounded the same as the other rooms

maybe he recorded in there

Raine said:

Maybe the artist decided to expand the number of "counties" to include the museum?

All is art, from a hunched swagger to a brew of cider. It isn't touchable or definible. I don't understand this thread. What is good?

Number23 said:

It's fairly simple: do you think the majority of art is an opiate of the masses?