What is Art - Essay Example

I have always believed that art is something beautiful. But after the course, I learned that my standard or my benchmark for artistic beauty has been very limited. In the past, I thought that what is beautiful were those that are proportionate, classical – those works made by the geniuses of the Renaissance.

In addition, I was also drawn to the types of art that tend to be acceptable, to what most of us would prefer. I came to realize that this point of view was informed by materials and artifacts that permeate the mass cultural market. I was one with the public and there were art pieces that I would not have appreciated without the insights provided by the course. It was like art for me was ballet, Van Gogh, and those expensive pieces auctioned off at Christie’s. The keyword is “expensive” – a consumerist concept.

The interactions within the lectures – those between the teacher and students and students among themselves, gave me further insights. As I learned together with others, I came to understand the diversity of our perceptions, of our skills, and our individual ability to construct meanings. So art may be different but it can also be universal. It is like the concept of truth, in a way. I also discovered some of my personal biases and preferences and how they affect my understanding and interpretation of artworks. Having recognized this, I can say that I am now in a better position to appreciate art and identify what it is. One important principle that I learned was that in art, there is no one or single beauty because beauty is diverse. I have learned the dynamics behind this, which I believe widened my horizon and understanding so that I am able to appreciate art in its true form.