If someone points at a mundane object and calls it art, does it become art? This question strikes at the heart of how we define art. For some, seeing art in everyday objects is a mark of creativity. For others, it’s an absurd notion that undermines the value of traditional art forms.
Can People Who See Art in Everything Be Considered Crazy, Happy or Sad?
Imagine someone who finds meaning in every aspect of life—from the way sunlight filters through a window to the symmetry of a building’s shadow. Are they unusually attuned to the world around them, or are they projecting their own emotions onto their surroundings?
Philosophers like Friedrich Nietzsche have suggested that seeing meaning everywhere can be both a burden and a gift. It may reflect a heightened sensitivity to life, but it can also reveal an emotional need to create order or purpose where none exists.
Does Perception Alone Make Something Art?
The idea that perception itself can turn something into art is central to modern and conceptual art movements. Artists like Duchamp challenged traditional definitions by asserting that the act of selection and presentation is enough to elevate an object into the realm of art.
When interviewing people about installations, one can notice how their perceptions shape their experience. Some might see profound statements in simple arrangements, while others dismiss them entirely. This subjectivity suggests that art doesn’t exist in a vacuum; it needs a perceiver to complete the process of meaning-making.
the Act of Giving Meaning = the Core of Art
At its core, art is about giving meaning. Whether it’s the artist declaring, “This object has meaning because I say it does,” or the audience finding their own emotional connection, the creation of meaning is what transforms the mundane into the extraordinary.
But this act of meaning-making can also be divisive. For some, it’s liberating to think that anything can be art. For others, this openness feels like it erodes the skill, effort, and tradition that many associate with “real art.”
The beauty of this debate is that there’s no single answer. Art lives in the balance between perception, intention, and meaning. Whether it’s a masterpiece hanging in a gallery or a forgotten object rediscovered and reframed, the process of seeing, assigning meaning, and discussing it makes art a vital part of human experience.
Thank you for joining me on this research journey. I had a lot of fun and am looking forward to our second semester.
Have a nice semester break and see you soon. xoxo Fiona
