What can be art?

[Norman Watts <Norman_Watts@zzzzzzz>]

I am hesitating to once again admit that I don't know much about art
(in the sense that I never had an education in it). So I can't name
names and movements. I'm sure the following has been asked a lot, but I
would dearly like to receive a clear answer and perhaps some examples
to go with it so I can finally put the damn thing to rest and never ask
it again.

A general theme of the recent discussions has been this asking of
"questions" (through the art a person does) and the getting of
"answers". And also maybe the getting of new answers by posing old
questions again. This implies that the questions and answers are
somehow similar to our conventional concepts of questions and answers,
namely that different participants will all understand both the
questions and the answers in about the same way. Has anyone ever made a
large scale survey of people (untrained in art) and asked them "what
does this specific sculpture ask" or "what does this specific sculpture
say". And, most importantly, did all those polled agree on the question
and/or answer? I don't know, but I doubt it.

Somebody on this list once responded (and I'm paraphrasing grossly
here) that the "meaning" of a piece is known essentially only to the
sculptor. I tend to believe this, but would gladly be enlightened once
and for all.


Norman Watts, Ph. D.
National Institutes of Health
50 South Drive, Rm. 1509
Bethesda, MD 20892-8025
Phone: (301) 402-3418
Fax: (301) 480-7629