What is Art?

No one definition can truly explain the meaning of art. In different cultures and during different time periods, art has been created for different purposes. For example, in a modern American or European society, an individual might purchase a painting from an art gallery to hang in her living room to add color to the décor.

Not all cultures have the same concept of art. Take, for example, a Native American textile that might have been created for use in a ritual ceremony. A museum in the United States might seek to acquire the textile to hang in their museum because the color and pattern are visually appealing and the technique used to create the material required skill and precision. The meaning of the work to the museum, however, is different than the meaning to the Native American who created it. While the Native American who created the textile took pride in their creative ability, it was not created just for “art’s sake," there was a particular function or purpose for the work.

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