what is art?

‎"It is a matter of loving art, not understanding it." —Fernand Leger

What is art. The definition of art is described as:

1. the quality, production, expression, or realm, according to aesthetic principles, of what is beautiful, appealing, or of more than ordinary significance.
2. the class of objects subject to aesthetic criteria; works of art collectively, as paintings, sculptures, or drawings: a museum of art; an art collection.
3. a field, genre, or category of art: Dance is an art.

I have had the pleasure of spending the past few days in New York as I submerge myself into the visual smorgasbord that exists in this city, classical and contemporary. While popping in and out of the smaller galleries in Chelsea I started to ask myself, “what exactly constitutes art?”

Is it the individual towel that is carefully hangs upon the stark wall? Is it the sound of the single, repetitive water drop that finds its way to the gallery floor? Or is it A wall pitted by a single air rifle shot by Lawrence Weiner on display at MOMA? 

I suppose the important element is whether it evokes an emotion in the viewer, good or bad. While many of these pieces do not always resonate with me and I don’t always understand the deeper meaning that the artist is going after, I admire the courageousness and imaginative exploration that is required to get into some of these prestigious spaces. 

Then again, the movie Untitled presents a new way of questioning the trends of buyers, the motivation in trying to be on the cutting edge of the art world, and the superficiality that can take place. 

For me, art is something that either I like, or I don't. One thing I know for certain is that when I do like it, or rather love it, I want to be enveloped in the experience. Witnessing the Basquiat masterpieces at the Gagosian produced in me an urge to just lie on the floor and let the pieces float above me as a child would lie on grass to watch the clouds. It was a peaceful yet invigorating experience.  I recognize that many may view the work by Basquiat in the same vein that I view the air rifle wall. In the end, it is the triad between artist, art and viewer that matters most. It is the experience that each member of that group brings to the experience. 

Art is what we make of it, with love or hate, but not necessarily comprehension.