Is it art is a question that may concern many. Weird wording, but this is because I don't know if this concerns a lot of people. I myself sometimes wonder when I see something that is for me the artistic expression of someone's inner (feeling) world or a reconstruction of the world around him or her. Art is the result of a projection, an interpretation and a creation in material form, a painting, a photo or a sculpture. I now confine myself to a few expressions of visual art. A photo I took was a day at the Cobra Museum as part of a project. The curator who gave an introduction thus began: "Art is what others think it is." His idea was that an artist cannot call his work art himself. It's probably possible, but I always think it's a little weird, but maybe that's because I'm not a famous artist.
There are roughly two types of art, figurative and abstract visual art, although according to some there is also degenerate art, but I do not go into that here. Figurative means as much as nature. This expression is seen by many as real art, as craftsmanship. You don't have to go to much trouble to understand. Abstract art is an experience. An experience that runs into the chest, which is sometimes perceived as negative, a denial of life, of nature.
In my opinion, the psychological impact of art is enormous. It is a confrontation of a subject with an object that either leads to identification or disapproval. At the latter, I think of anger, envy and fear usually summarized with the words: "so can my little nephew." It is clear that this is usually about abstract art. It is also found ugly rather than figurative art expressions that are rather dull when they are not perceived as beautiful. Those last two are, of course, personal judgments, which in essence do not really matter, except for the person they express.
Art is a creative and psychological process, a quest of an individual, when it is at least free art, in which a climax, an apotheosis if you like, is lived, which offers redemption or liberation to both the artist and the spectator. There is an assimilation with the result of a new state of well-being or displeasure that is confronting and causing a break with the moment before. Art is therefore a psychic revolution process that is the result of a craft enterprise. You could also see a spiritual component in it, especially when you are entering the field of symbolism and the inherent meaning of the creation you see. Art often has a message, even manifestos are written by artist about their art, think of the Style, early last century. Art becomes a kind of religion. Clearly, what art is is not the last thing to be said.
