What is art?
Perhaps, one big question in the study of art remains defining the term art itself. This is because
the question of ‘What is Art’, ‘What is the nature of Art’ and ‘What is the definition of Art’,
amongst others, is central to philosophy of art. These important questions guide the thought
process for academizing the arts. Answers to these questions help in straightening the path
towards a thorough understanding of artworks produced by a particular culture or society, and
by extension, play critical role in ascertaining a common definition.
At this point, to assert that the evolvement of art as a discipline over time has equally affected its
definition is trite and banal. The evolutions in art, the cultural orientation and approach to art
have indeed added to the woes of finding a common definition to it. All cultures make and
produce artworks, which are usually influenced by their cultural precepts and artistic worldview.
For a particular culture to arrive at what art is, their views or definition of art would be largely
influenced by their artistic worldview. This has contributed to the difficulty in arriving at a
definition for art that does not relegate the art of other cultures to the background. Though all
the actors in the art fraternity—the audience, curators, editors, critics, art historians, contribute
in determining the direction and definition of art (Fisher, 1993), it would be good to consider the
views of the actors in the art fraternity from different geographical backgrounds and cultural
milieu to contribute in defining or searching for what constitutes art. This is because, what a
particular society considers as art may differ from that of other cultures.
By studying developments in contemporary art, Abijian (2012) categorized plethora of definitions
offered on art into two – conventionalist and less conventionalist definitions. Abijian explained
the conventionalist definition to cover Danto’s (1981) reference to institutional dimensions of art
which includes how art changes over time and its relational properties in relations to art history,
art genres, amongst others. According Abijian (2012), the less conventionalist definitions focus
on a wider and more traditional concept of aesthetic properties that includes art’s pan-cultural
and trans-historical characteristics.
Apart from Abijian’s categorization, other definitions offered considered the subject matter,
history, aesthetic interest and art genre to qualify as art. For instance, during the period of the
renaissance, an artwork’s ability to copy nature as closely as possible gives it artistic credence.
Artists at the time were striving for higher degree of realism. As such, subject matter including
sunsets, flowers, and human figures featured prominently. Artworks that failed to capture the
tenets of realism were not appreciated. At the time, African artworks were full of abstractionism.
Per the Western canon of art at the time, the artworks that were abstract were not considered
as art at all. They were labelled as crafts. However, the twentieth-century art movements
brought a renewed wave of art which included surrealism, dadaism, expressionism, cubism,
impressionism, realism and abstractionism. The inclusion of abstractionism in the art movements
brought that kind of works into the Western worldview to be accepted as art. In this case, the
evolutions in art helps in shifting its definitional perspectives, whereby the definitional
perspectives are virtually dominated by Western ideology of what is considered as art.
Based on given definitions overtime, Gaut (2000) in his cluster theories offered ten
characteristics which should feature in a work of art. They are positive aesthetic features;
expressing emotion; intellectually challenging; Complex yet coherent; and complex in meaning;
relating to individual’s perception. It must also show creative imagination; show high sense of
skill; be part of an established artform; and a product of an artistic intention. The cluster theories
outline qualities something should possess in order to merit the term art.
Based on the discussion on what constitutes art, let us turn our attention to Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4.
Figure 1, depicts a picturesque view of two fishing wooden canoes docked at the shores beside a
coconut tree. The canoe at the fore looks worn out while the other beside it is painted in white
and blue colour scheme with emblematic details that gives semblance of the logo of the Chelsea
Football Club. The two emblematic designs are centrally placed and flanked on the left with the
inscription ’10: 37’, and the right side showed the inscription ‘Blue Net’, bounded with yellow
colour. There are four upright poles fixed to the canoe. This canoe, found at the Winneba fishing
shore of Ghana is owned by a subsistence fisherman. The decoration of the canoe in the
symbolism of Chelsea Football Club is suggestive of the owner’s overt support for the club for
which reason he commissioned an artist (or much possibly, himself) for the painting decorations
on the canoe. Painting decorations on canoes found at the shores of Ghana is a common
practice among fisherfolks. The fisherfolks create various art forms not just to decorate their
canoes, but most importantly to register their natural affections for something, affirm their
slogans, philosophies, beliefs, proverbs, aspirations, amongst others. The fisherfolks seem to
derive the psychic energy for their fishing occupation in those designs. In other words, no matter
the simplicity of the images on the canoes, they seem to serve both as a morale boosters and
sources of identity and pride. Could these designs be termed as art or craft?
There are centrally placed bird-like figures in varying sizes bounded by a rectangular encasement
(Figure 4). The rectangular encasement is composed of alternating triangular shapes in
undulating black outlines. Rendering the triangular shapes in the reds, black and white colours in
forming the boarders create high contrast of shapes and colours. The treatment and varying
sizes of presentation of the bird-like figures suggest a mother and its offspring. The entire
rendition and presentation style pay tribute to the classic wall painting and decorative
techniques practiced amongst the people of Sirigu in the Upper East Region of Ghana. The
presentation style may look infantile or naïve to an outsider, yet aesthetic pleasure, conceptual
exploratory verve, multilayered narrative, functionality and philosophical underpinning of this
creative expression remains unsurmountable in the artistic worldview of its originating culture. It
was produced to serve the needs of society and they place high value on it. Could this painting
(Figure 4) also be considered as art or craft?