Does it really matter?

Art

Art is the expression and communication of an idea that is presented in a subjective form. It typically involves either visual or auditory information and sometimes incorporates both.

“Good” art is defined only by the paradigm in which the work exists. Its perceived value and quality changes as the culture, history, genre and style evolve.  Art is commonly associated with emotion although its emotional content may be obscured if the ‘viewer’ fails to connect with or recognize the signifiers that are inherent within the work. (Which simply means they don’t speak the spoken language).

As identified by various artists, critics and philosophers, we have been presented with reoccurring characteristics that can be identified within art but these are not mutually exclusive or defining rules.  Consequently, if the ‘audience’ and the ‘art’ are operating across two different paradigms the work may fail to be perceived as art. However, if the audience is open-minded and willing to consider ideas outside of their usual frame of reference the chances of the work being perceived as art are greatly increased.  One must also take into account that a percentage of artists are also trying to expand the limits of their audience’s mind and exceed the known boundaries of the art form.

Entertainment

Entertainment, on the other hand, is “the act of providing or being provided with amusement or enjoyment.”  It does not have to be visually or aurally stimulating and may include games and sport as well as movies, music and posters. “Good” entertainment is defined by personal taste. Its value stems from its ability to maintain a captive audience and within a capitalist society ‘successful’ entertainment is based primarily off audience size and ticket sales.

It’s All About Perspective

Taking these definitions into account art and entertainment should be – although they aren’t always – approached with different attitudes. Problems arise when art is judged purely off its entertainment qualities. Art can be ‘disliked’, challenging and hard to understand whereas entertainment has to be easily understood and instantly liked. Different people may approach the same ‘object’ as either art or entertainment. Consequently, one object may be perceived and experienced as either art or entertainment. It is also valid to note that some art can be entertaining while not being entertainment.

Perhaps the only reasons why we feel the absolute need to distinguish between the two is because of our capitalist class-based society. Here, unfortunately, people and objects frequently get their worth via methods of comparison and exclusion. A system whose foundation rests primarily on money and the notion of being better than. To draw similar comparisons we have male-female, upper class – lower class, black-white and so forth. We use differences to create insider and outsider groups. Many times our sense of belonging feeds off our knowledge that others don’t.

But what would society look like if we celebrated and valued difference? Why can’t we be individuals united by common interests as opposed to our intellectual, physical and monitory differences?

Better or Different

Art is stereotypically accepted as being ‘better than’ entertainment. Even within the arts, you have the ingrained notions of high and low art; traditionally classical music is high whereas popular music is low. (All of which are distinctions I completely disagree with.) But what if art was understood on its own terms for what it contributes to society, its role, function and meaning. It’s not better than entertainment it’s just different. Like the doctor is not better than the garbage collector.

They both perform different and equally important roles within society.  One gender is not better than the other but different and equal to. Each has its strengths and weakness. Your shortcoming may be supplied by someone else’s strength. Why not celebrate differences and come to understand their importance? Why not work towards being comfortable our differences instead of threatened by them?

What would it be like if we looked in an all-encompassing mirror and actually saw ourselves? What if we sure not just our physical appearance but everything we had done, every word we had spoken the impact it has had on this world. Would we still be better than the person standing next to us?