[lbo-talk] artsy-fartsy

Jerry Monaco monacojerry at gmail.com
Fri May 26 08:54:16 PDT 2006


On 5/26/06, Miles Jackson <cqmv at pdx.edu> wrote:
>
> jthorn65 at sbcglobal.net wrote:
>
> In my view, you're making this way too complicated. There is no
> universal, defining characteristic of art (e.g., "must be reproducable",
> "original meaning"). At different times and different places, different
> social standards emerge and are maintained for what makes something art,
> just as different standards emerge and are maintained about God, family
> structure, and formal schooling. Figuring out what "art" is in a given
> society by trying to identify the platonic form "Art" is exactly
> analogous to making sense of religion in a society by trying to identify
> the true essence of God.
>

Here, here, Miles. Common sense that is also a thought with some depth. I don't think we need Marx come from the grave to make this observation valid.

I have one thing to add to your thought.

It takes a certain amount of complexity of society before members of that society distinguish any particular artifact as a work of art. What amount of complexity I am talking about cannot be determined with any exactitude or simply from theory. Empirical study is the only thing that may tell us anything about such a subject, but unfortunately empirical study is mostly lost to us in these matters when investigating pre-historic societies. The main point that should be made is that it takes a certain amount of division of labor and specialization of craft before a person is elevated to the position of a recognized good maker/creator of an artifact and then from there to a recognition that a good maker of artifacts can be a good artist.

Jerry

-- Jerry Monaco's Philosophy, Politics, Culture Weblog is Shandean Postscripts to Politics, Philosophy, and Culture http://monacojerry.livejournal.com/

His fiction, poetry, weblog is Hopeful Monsters: Fiction, Poetry, Memories http://www.livejournal.com/users/jerrymonaco/

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