Updating a Definition of Art

Published on Jul 29, 2008 (updated Mar 25, 2024), filed under design (feed). (Share this on Mastodon or Bluesky?)

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When I tried to define art, design, and decoration, I described art as

Art hides. Art has a meaning, and it hides it, on purpose. Art delivers a message, and that message is hidden, on purpose. It is an art to create art. Art is unusable, by definition.

Several months and discussions later I wonder if it wasn’t more appropriate to at least extend this definition to:

Art:

Art has a meaning, and it hides it, on purpose; art intentionally creates emotions, creates feelings. […]

I think that this updated definition, albeit still not complete, does not only raise the bar and underscore the value of art, but also makes it more “compatible” with the definitions of design and decoration (as design or decoration could very well refer to art as well, especially when triggering emotion). It is also more reliable, as “art hides” is kind of ambiguous, and could still leave the door open to all the people labeling “put paint on something” or “throw your keys on the table” as art.

Yet, there seem to be two more dimensions to consider: On the one hand art, like other disciplines, depends on context, so some cultures may have a different understanding of it, meaning that art might trigger something else, or nothing at all. On the other hand, there is a craft dimension, emphasizing skill in the vein of masters. I wonder how to include both dimensions in the definition, so I appreciate your thoughts.

In general, I write about art because of an urge to stop debates that wind up defining everything as art. Many people have a sense of what art is, but only a renewed definition might preserve “real” and unveil “pseudo-art.” I think there exists a definition that is more helpful than other principles of art.

About Me

I’m Jens (long: Jens Oliver Meiert), and I’m a web developer, manager, and author. I’ve worked as a technical lead and engineering manager for small and large enterprises, I’m an occasional contributor to web standards (like HTML, CSS, WCAG), and I write and review books for O’Reilly and Frontend Dogma.

I love trying things, not only in web development and engineering management, but also in other areas like philosophy. Here on meiert.com I share some of my experiences and views. (I value you being critical, interpreting charitably, and giving feedback.)