Everything Can Be Art

This too, is art.

The arguments being used to deny that AI-generated images can be art can be used to argue that photography is not art. Generative art has existed for decades, has been featured in art galleries, and has long been considered art by many. The arguments against AI-generated images can also be used to deny that generative artwork is art.

This is my counterargument: Art is not, and should not, be defined by effort or ego.

What is art?

Ask anyone and most people agree that anything can be art. That art is in the eyes of the beholder or that art doesn't need to require any sort of effort to create - but that the act of creation is enough. We even find arguments about whether art can be rated on a spectrum of "bad" to "good" and among the people who agree that art can be rated we will find arguments about the properties which make art "bad art" or "good art".

People will argue whether or not Barnett Newman's Voice of Fire is art. You will find arguments about if Maurizio Cattelan's Comedian is art.

The common retort by artists when someone exlaims "Anyone could have done that!" is often "Yes - but they actually did." as if the act of execution alone is enough of a justification to call something art.

So what makes art... art?

So if it is not the effort required to create that makes something into art - what is it that does?

Is it whether someone would be willing to buy the artwork? Or whether it was ever sold in the first place? If you are an artist that sketches portraits of people - and nobody ever buys one of your portraits - are you still an artist? I think you would most certainly think of themselves as an artist - and many other hobbyists would be inclined to agree. So art clearly isn't about making any sales.

I would like to ask you now to please take a break from reading in a moment and spend a few minutes thinking about what makes art art. Start each thought with "Art is..." and write them down somewhere so that you can refer to them again when you have finished reading. You can have as many or as few requirements as you like - but you must have at least one. All done? OK. I'll share mine first - please scroll down the full height of your screen to continue reading - there will be a blank space to prevent accidentally peaking at my answer.

"Art is..."

Art can be relaxing and put your mind to ease. Art can cause your thoughts to race and make you feel panicked or scared. Art can ignite inspiration or cause you to spiral into a deep depression. Art can evoke anger or happiness. Art can make you cry and in so many various ways too. Art can make you laugh so hard you have difficulty breathing and even bore you to sleep.

Maybe some of you noticed, but did you notice how I placed no requirements on how art must be made but only why it is made? Getting into an argument may evoke emotions such as sadness or anger but I do not consider an argument to be art. While something such as cooking can be an art - cooking isn't always art. In my world art is defined mostly by intent. If something is created with the intent of it being art then it is. No matter how gets created.

Do you agree with yourself?

Answer the below questions with a simple "Yes" or "No" answer using the guidelines you wrote down earlier. If your definition of art includes something that you don't actually agree is art or excludes something that you actually agree is art - take a moment for self-reflection and adjust your definition(s) as necessary. If you adjusted your definition(s) - go through the list again from the start. Repeat this process as many times as needed until you agree entirely with your definition or until you give up because you cannot reconcile the differences.

If something can be considered art by your definition, even if it isn't always considered art, the answer should be considered "Yes". Adjust your definition as necessary.

That was a very long list and it wasn't even fully comprehensive! I am hoping that most of my readers answered "Yes" to most of the above questions - if you answered "No" to any more than five, excluding the first, I would love for you to share your definition of art and the items you did not consider art with me at artist@everythingcanbe.art. I expect that most "No" answers will be to questions #1 and #51-56.