Question 1
Art has to have the ability to evoke a reaction from the people interacting with it, either from the sentimental meaning the specific work of art elicits, or from the aesthetic value it creates. Art is the conversion of obscurity and rendering of meaning to it. Clay in its natural state cannot be depicted as a work of art. An artist sources the clay, in this instance the raw material and transforms it into something meaningful such as a flower vase. The artist gives the specific work of art form while interactions with the work of art elicit different reactions and varying meanings attached to the work of art. A vase molded from clay and initially meant for holding flowers, can be used functionally by a user as a water mug. The user lends the item of art meaning. By using the work of art in an unconventional way does not invalidate the vase from being a work of art. In this connection, an item cannot be considered as a work of art due to the fact of it eliciting emotional response from the people interacting with it.
A tank used in the Second World War and discovered presently somewhere in Poland elicits a myriad of emotions from people who get to see it for instance. Its builders cannot be described as artists since they do not fulfill any of the functions an artist should fulfill. Below is a comparison of the merits for and against the tank or any other war relics being a work of art. Art is created to fulfill a human function; the stone hedges for instance seem to have been used in social gatherings. Maya Lyn and her adorable work , the Vietnam veterans memorial in New york serves as both a memorial and a thought invoking place offering the visitors there some feel of connection with the ‘world beyond’ the tank on the other hand, while it is a magnificent advancement in engineering, only served purposes of human extermination and ruin. It cannot therefore rank as a piece of art.
Question 4
Authorship is the authority an artist has over declaring a certain piece of work as their own. Authorship is manifest in many forms as some artists use existing pieces of art from various artists, and with a few attenuations here and there presents them as their authentic art. The idea of authorship gives people a wider choice of perspective and choice of interpretation to the piece of art. The Mona Lisa for instance, is probably the world’s most famous painting. The painting mesmerizes people who interact with it due to the skill employed in its making. People over time have described the Mona Lisa as a dangerous beauty, a mysterious sphinx and many other adjectives. The art work done by Andy Warhol, Thirty are better than one lends the initial piece a different perspective. The depiction of the Mona Lisa repetitively lends her a sense of fame, Andy Warhol takes the Mona Lisa as an identity, and a famous one at that. The interaction with Andy Warhol’s thirty are better than one gives the person a different feel to the to the art work. By taking the original work and presenting it in a new way tends to give the art work a new dimension, a new purpose.
Forgery in the other hand is not to be confused with authorship. An artist has the freedom to reproduce their own work in the sameness of another artist’s work, but not presenting it as their own. Presentation of a forged piece of art as the original aims at confusing the people to interpretation of the work as the original. This robs the original artist his voice in the piece of art and replaces it with the artist who forged the art. Art cannot be produced in exact copies as artistry involves presenting emotions, freezing moments in time and such other highly volatile aspects which cannot be replicated. Authorship therefore, is best exercised by the artist offering a rendition of art rather than trying to imitate. This reduces the instances of misrepresentation of the original artist.
Question 5
The Mona Lisa is the most recognizable piece of art from the till today despite the centuries that separates us from the date of its creation. It depicts a woman wearing a hint of a smile invoking numerous interpretations of her as indifferent, suspicious, mysterious and the like. Leonardo da Vince created this masterpiece using oil on panel. On the other hand, Andy Warhol a pop artist from the sixties reproduced the work as thirty smaller images of the same woman on canvas using acrylic paint and silkscreen. The reproduction of the Mona Lisa in black and white gave her a more modern and timeless feel in comparison to the Mona Lisa. The reproduction of the image by Warhol in multiplicity gave the Mona Lisa celebrity status by highlighting the numerous times she had been circulated around the world and the familiarity people have with her. The Mona Lisa on the other, hand is a classic piece of art which has gained recognition due to the incredible life-like feel it had to Leonardo’s contemporaries. The painting commands respect due to the history it enjoys; however, by the multiplication of the Mona Lisa by Warhol gave the piece of art a sense of accessibility and made it available to everyone.
