What is true art? Well, aside from being redundant, true art is everything.
In both the sense of being everything in that it is universally important and in the sense of being just universal. Art is everything and everything is art. True art is redundant because all art is true.
Anything that makes you feel anything is art. No matter how half-assed, no matter how cookie cutter, no matter what anyone says, it’s art.
Anything made by anyone that is used to express themselves in literally any conceivable way - and in every way heretofore inconceivable - is art.
Even the most basic level is art. Observe:
That is comparable to the Mona Lisa. Better, one might argue, because I’m still alive and currently intend to remain so forever, whereas Leonardo is worm food like the punk ass punk that he is.
Every picture is art. Every joke is art. Every word written, typed or conceived of is art. In poetry. In books. In Greek.
Every piece of music, even if it’s just a single note, is art. Even if you’re just slamming your hands down on some piano keys at random, it’s art.
Television is art. Movies are art. The art of making movies even has a fancy name. It’s called cinema.
Every movie ever made is cinema.
Citizen Kane, that’s cinema. So is Plan 9 From Outer Space.
Sharknado? Cinema. The Velocipaster? Cinema. Twilight? Believe it or not, that’s cinema too. Suicide Squad? Yep, that’s cinema. JoaPhoJo? Well, this may come as a surprise, but it’s cinema. I hate it, but it’s cinema.
Even movies made for the sole purpose of expressing the desire for we movie-goers to give the studios all of our money are cinema. The Marvel Cinematic Universe? Come on. It’s right there in the name! That’s cinema too.
Eat all of the shit and then die, Martin Scorsese.
And then come back to life and eat all of the shit again and then die again. And then stay dead. Forever.
No one has the right to tell you what is and isn’t art. Not even Martin Scorsese. Not even me. Does your vision about what art is differ from mine? I’m curious to know.
True art is being able to conceive of the possibility that perspectives exist beyond your own.
That’s not to say that all art is equal in quality. Chopin’s (for example) music is obviously higher quality than some kid banging on the keys at random.
But even if Frédéric Chopin came back to life this very instant, he would not have the right to say to that kid, “To, co robisz, nie jest sztuką.” Shout-outs to Google translate, which is all-knowing and wise.
If he ever does that you are entitled, nay, obligated to kick that Polish piece of shit in the jądra as hard as you can. Wear a steel-toed boot and give it a good run-up. I’ll hold him down for you.
All art is equal in value as long as someone, somewhere in the world, likes it. Even if it’s just one person.
And that’s also not to say you shouldn’t aspire to improve the quality of your own art; it just makes you feel good when you can do better than you did the day before. But even if some jagoff with his nose in the air tells you it’s not art that’s ok, because it is art.
If you did the best you could it’s art. But even if it’s not the best that you could do it’s still art.
Everything is art and art is everything. That’s my art. What’s your art?
