"What is Art, and What is Not?" | Big Think

Summary

The speaker delves into the complex relationship between art and design, emphasizing the importance of art as a cultural survival mechanism. They argue that art's true purpose is to make us attentive, allowing us to re-engage with reality and see it as it is. The speaker distinguishes art from non-art based on its ability to evoke attentiveness. They critique the art world's focus on money and status, which they view as impurities detracting from art's essential function. The narrative includes a personal anecdote about the profound impact of a Piero della Francesca painting, which inspired a lifelong exploration and appreciation of art.

Takeaways

• 🤔 The speaker is puzzled by the lack of distinction between Art and Design, and the confusion between art and non-art.
• 🎨 Being an artist is often seen as a prestigious status due to the importance of art in various cultures.
• 🌟 Art is considered a powerful instrument for cultural survival because it makes people attentive and re-engage with reality.
• 👀 The speaker believes that art's primary purpose is to enhance attentiveness, not merely to provide beauty.
• 💭 Beauty is described as a mechanism that leads us towards attentiveness, but it is not the ultimate justification for art.
• 🤝 The art world is often preoccupied with money and status, which the speaker sees as impurities that detract from art's true function.
• 🔥 The term 'fine art' is humorously linked to its origin in metallurgy, suggesting a purification process that art should undergo.
• 💰 The focus on monetary value in the art world is criticized as a distraction from art's role in fostering attentiveness.
• 🖼️ The speaker shares a personal anecdote of being deeply moved by a Piero della Francesca painting, leading to a lifelong exploration of the artist's work.
• 🌍 The speaker's journey to understand art led to a series of artworks inspired by Piero, which were recognized and exhibited in Italy.

Q & A

What is the main confusion people have regarding art and design?

People are puzzled by the lack of distinction between Art and Design, and the overlap between art and non-art, which is not well understood.

Why is being an artist considered prestigious in many cultures?

Being an artist is prestigious because art is seen as a survival mechanism for cultures, and artists who can create art are highly respected.

What role does art play in the survival of a culture?

Art is a powerful instrument for cultural survival because it makes people attentive, allowing them to re-engage with reality and see the distinction between perception and reality.

How does the speaker define beauty in relation to art?

Beauty is described as a mechanism to move people towards attentiveness, but it is not the ultimate justification for art; it is merely a device leading to it.

What is the speaker's personal criterion for distinguishing art from non-art?

The speaker believes that if something moves you to attentiveness, it is art; if it doesn't, it's something else.

What are the 'impurities' of art according to the speaker?

The 'impurities' of art are everything that does not contribute to its function of producing attentiveness, which the speaker suggests is largely status and money.

Why does the speaker find the art world's focus on money and status amusing?

The speaker finds it amusing because the focus on money and status is not the standard by which people should judge art, yet it is the central issue in the art world as observed in contemporary culture.

What does the term 'fine' mean in the context of art, and how does the speaker relate it to the art world?

In the context of art, 'fine' comes from metallurgy and refers to the process of applying heat to burn off impurities. The speaker relates this to the art world by suggesting that the 'impurities' of art are status and money.

Can you describe a significant encounter the speaker had with art?

A significant encounter was when the speaker, at 18, saw a painting by Piero della Francesca at the Frick and was deeply moved, leading to a lifetime of exploration of Piero's work.

What was the outcome of the speaker's exploration of Piero della Francesca's work?

The outcome was a series of watercolors and drawings based on Piero's work, sponsored by the Italian government, which was exhibited in Piero's hometown of Sansepolcro.

Outlines

00:00

🎨 The Distinction Between Art and Design

The speaker discusses the confusion between art and design, and the blurred lines between art and non-art. They note the high status of artists in various cultures due to the importance of art as a survival mechanism for culture. Art is described as a powerful tool that can re-engage our perception of reality, making us attentive to the distinctions between our assumptions and the actual state of things. The speaker also touches on the concept of beauty as a means to lead us towards attentiveness, rather than the ultimate purpose of art. They critique the art world's focus on money and status, which they see as impurities that detract from art's true function of promoting attentiveness. The speaker shares their personal journey of distinguishing art based on its ability to move one to attentiveness, and they humorously dissect the definition of 'fine art,' linking it to the process of purifying metal in metallurgy.

05:00

🌏 A Lifelong Exploration of Piero della Francesca

The speaker recounts a transformative experience at the age of 18 when they were introduced to the works of Piero della Francesca at the Frick Collection. This encounter sparked a lifelong passion and exploration of Piero's paintings, leading the speaker to travel the world in search of his works. They express a sense of fulfillment in having seen most of Piero's paintings and even creating a series of watercolors and drawings inspired by him, which were recognized and sponsored by the Italian government. The speaker's journey culminated in an exhibition of their work in Piero's hometown, a significant honor and a testament to their deep connection with the artist's legacy.

Keywords

💡Art

Art, as discussed in the script, is a complex and multifaceted concept that transcends mere aesthetics. It is described as a powerful instrument for survival, essential for cultural continuity and human consciousness. The speaker argues that the true purpose of art is to make us attentive, to re-engage with reality, and to see the world as it is, not as we perceive it. This perspective is central to the video's theme, emphasizing the functional aspect of art over its status or monetary value.

💡Design

Design is mentioned in contrast to art, highlighting the overlap and confusion between the two domains. While art is seen as a means of cultural survival and a tool for attentiveness, design is implied to have a more practical, functional role. The script suggests a need for a clearer distinction between art and design to understand their unique contributions to society.

💡Attentiveness

Attentiveness is a key concept in the script, tied to the speaker's definition of art. Art, at its fullest capacity, is said to make us attentive, allowing us to re-engage with reality and perceive it more clearly. This concept is used to differentiate art from other forms of expression that may not serve this function, suggesting that art's value lies in its ability to enhance our awareness and understanding of the world.

💡Beauty

Beauty is discussed as a mechanism that often confuses people with art. The speaker suggests that while beauty is a genetic need and a device to lead us towards attentiveness, it is not the ultimate justification for art. This distinction is important in understanding that art's purpose extends beyond mere aesthetic pleasure.

💡Survival Mechanism

The script posits art as a survival mechanism for cultures, emphasizing its role in cultural continuity and the survival of the species. Art's ability to make us attentive and re-engage with reality is seen as crucial for our survival, as it allows us to adapt and evolve in response to our environment.

💡Status

Status is mentioned in the context of the art world's focus on money and prestige, which the speaker views as impurities that detract from art's true function. The pursuit of status and the elevation of oneself through art are seen as distractions from the core purpose of art as a means of attentiveness and cultural survival.

💡Money

Money is highlighted as a central issue in the art world, often overshadowing the artistic value of works. The speaker criticizes the focus on monetary value, such as the high prices of artworks, as a distraction from the true purpose of art. This keyword illustrates the script's critique of the commercialization of art.

💡Impurities

Impurities, as used in the script, refer to elements that do not contribute to art's function of producing attentiveness. These include the focus on status and money, which the speaker believes detract from the essence of art. The term is used metaphorically to describe aspects of the art world that are seen as corrupting or diluting art's true purpose.

💡Cultural Survival

Cultural survival is a recurring theme in the script, with art being described as a means for cultures to endure and thrive. The speaker argues that art's persistence across cultures is evidence of its importance in ensuring the survival and evolution of cultural practices and values.

💡Piero della Francesca

Piero della Francesca is mentioned as an example of an artist whose work had a profound impact on the speaker, leading to a lifetime of exploration and study. This example illustrates the power of art to move individuals and inspire deep engagement with its themes and techniques.

Highlights

The confusion between Art and Design, and the distinction between art and non-art is puzzling to many.

Artists are highly respected in both primitive and sophisticated cultures due to the importance of art as a survival mechanism.

Art's primary purpose is to make us attentive and re-engage with reality.

Beauty is a mechanism to move us towards attentiveness, but it is not the ultimate justification for art.

The speaker has spent most of their life contemplating the distinction between art and non-art.

A definition for art is proposed: If it moves you to attentiveness, it is Art.

The art world is primarily concerned with money and status, which are considered impurities in the context of art's true function.

The term 'fine art' originates from metallurgy, where it refers to the process of purifying metal by burning off impurities.

Impurities in art are anything that does not contribute to its function of producing attentiveness.

The focus on money in the art world is criticized as a distraction from art's true purpose.

The speaker's encounter with a Piero della Francesca painting at the Frick Museum had a profound impact on their life.

The speaker's lifelong exploration of Piero's work led to a series of watercolors and drawings inspired by him.

The speaker's work was sponsored by the Italian government and exhibited in Piero's hometown.

The speaker's experience with Piero's art exemplifies the power of art to move individuals deeply.

Transcripts

there's

this stupid overlap between the two that

no one understands and the lack of

distinction between Art and Design and

art and non-art is so puzzling to people

and everybody wants to be an artist

because it in terms of status there's

almost nothing better you can you could

be in almost any culture basically

because art is terribly important as a

survival mechanism for any culture as a

result the people in primitive cultures

who can create art as such are those who

are highly respected and that basically

occurs in sophisticated cultures as well

but the only purpose of art is that it

is the most

powerful instrument

for

survival that art is so persistent in

all our cultures because it is a means

of the culture to survive and the reason

for that I believe is that art at its

fullest capacity makes us

attentive that if you look at a work of

art you can

re-engage reality once again and you see

the distinction between what you thought

things were and what they actually are

because of that it is a

mechanism for the species to survive and

because of that it is terribly important

in human consciousness I also believe

that curiously that beauty which is very

often something we confus with art is

merely a mechanism to move us towards in

ENT

attentiveness uh you realize we all have

a

genetic capacity and need to experience

Beauty but beauty is not the ultimate uh

justification for art it is merely the

device by which we are led to

attentiveness anyhow this is all very

complex and I've been thinking about it

most of my life and now I finally feel

that I can distinguish between what is

art and what is not and

my distinction is If It Moves you to

attentiveness it is Art if it doesn't

it's something

else well you know the the odd thing

about us to examine the art World SoCal

and examine the real world the art world

is concerned primarily with money and

Status U and that's linked to people's

need to elevate themselves and also to

invest in objects that will have a good

return of course that is not the

standard by

which people really interested not would

judge art and I'm always amused by the

definition of Fine Art because I never

knew what the word fine meant until I

looked it up and found out that fine as

applies to Art is a term used in

Metallurgy it means means that you apply

heat to metal of sufficient intensity so

that the impurities are burnt

off well with that definition you begin

to understand something uh about the

subject and also you say well what are

the impurities of art well my belief is

that the impurities of art are

everything that does not contribute to

its

function of producing

attentiveness and and of course those

impurities are largely status and money

and then you look at what's reported and

talked about in the art world and it's

always about the money the leading issue

that people care about in the world of

art is what the bonard sold for $40

million at a time which broke all

records and so well who cares about what

the bonard sold for in terms of Art

that's one of the impurities except that

it is the focal point and the central

issue in art as it is observed in our

culture

today there have been a million

encounters at least but certainly one of

them was when a friend took me to the

frick I was

18 to show me the first piod Del

Francesca I'd ever seen

and uh I almost fainted when I saw it

and that produced a lifetime of

exploration of

Pierro uh going all over the world

looking for Pierro paintings and I think

finally having seen most of them

fortunately he did relatively

few and uh ending up doing a series of

watercolors and drawings based on the

work of Puro that was sponsored by the

Italian

government uh that was actually shown a

few years ago in pio's home in sansul gr

which has to be one of the great things

that could happen to anyone who was as

obsessed as I was