Ch. 1 The Role of Art and Creativity


Art can be defined as what an artist makes or puts in front of us for viewing.  

This definition is extremely broad.  One reason art is so difficult to narrowly define is that it doesn't serve one single purpose.  Art, in fact, serves many purposes.  Some artworks are intended to fulfill religious purposes, others function as propaganda or social or political commentary.  Other artworks serve commemorative functions, some are the self-expression of an artist, and still others exist purely for beauty or visual delight.  Because artworks exist for such a varied group of reasons, it becomes difficult to have one single criteria by which to analyze them.  It is a huge mistake to judge an artwork solely on a narrow view of what art should be, but rather it is best to keep an open mind as art is created to fill the needs of many unique individuals and cultures.