Art is an ancient phenomenon that has evolved into one of the world’s most important forms of human expression. It is, however, a difficult subject to define, partly because it is constantly changing and adapting. The word “art” does not even appear in the English language until the eighteenth century, when it was first formally defined to differentiate the fine arts (literature, music, painting, sculpture and architecture) from crafts and other popular forms of entertainment. Even today, our concept of art continues to expand and includes things like cinema, photography and digital art.
As a concept, art is highly subjective. What is considered to be art by a given culture at any point in time depends on the dominant values of that society. The concept of art can also be influenced by changes in taste and preference, for example, the popularity of an artist or style at a given time. The definition of art has been debated extensively throughout history and there are various theories on its nature. Some emphasize the contingent cultural and historical features of art, while others prefer to focus on its more abiding characteristics and its continuity with other aesthetic phenomena.
Whether an art form is created for commercial reasons or for pleasure, it has the power to affect a wide range of emotions and inspire change in people’s perception of the world around them. In addition to its aesthetic role, art can be used as a tool to convey ideas and messages to the audience, allowing it to transcend traditional communication. Art can also be used as a means to criticize or highlight social and political issues.
For the longest time, art was thought of as a skill that could be learned through practice and hard work. With the onset of Romanticism and the rise of individualism, the idea of art changed to include a certain amount of uniqueness and originality. Hence, artists began to experiment with new styles such as cubism and surrealism.
An interesting theory on the definition of art is the Monroe Beardsley’s, who states that art can be defined as an arrangement of conditions designed to have marked aesthetic character or as a particular kind of artistic experience (Beardsley 1982). According to this view, an artwork must be a complete and unified, intense, and fully-controlled experience of the way things appear in order to qualify as an artwork.
In the past, the content of formal art was usually dictated by the patron or commissioner. However, with the onset of Romanticism and the advent of individualism, artists started to look to themselves as the main source of their inspiration. As a result, controversies became more common in the art world and the occurrence of certain movements such as realism and expressionism increased. The quality of art was often judged by its ability to spark controversy and become the center of attention, a phenomenon that has accelerated with the advancement of technology.