Bromley Art Society Bringing Artists Together since 1947

In Easel 14, Allan posed the question "What is Art?"

Allan's own notes are below, followed by three contributions from others in various forms .... 

If you have children or grandchildren at school, the ‘Student Hanbook for Art & Design’ by Richard Hickman at £3.95 from Pearson Publishing, 2002, ISBN 1 85749 637 X is a book that provides support, advice and up-to-date information about art and design at Key Stages 3 and 4, and GCSE. The National Curriculum for Art and Design places emphasis upon three connected areas - understanding art, knowing about art, and making or creating art. This handbook is based on these three areas.

“Traditionally, there are three main ideas about what art should be, with related ideas about how it should be judged:

• Art should be based on imitation. It should look like something or represent some- thing; the more realistic it is, the better the art.”
• Art should be concerned with feeling and expression; the more it conveys feeling the better it is.”
• Art should be concerned with the interesting arrangement of visual elements. The most successful art is that which has the most ‘significant form’, ie the most interesting arrangement of shape, colour, etc.”

(Note: I recommend this little handbook with equal weight to both novices and those who consider themselves to be experts. Wonderful stuff! Ed.)