What is "Fine Art"?

[Vaughn]

I think since the reproduction failed the artist--Weston--the book fails as fine art. I do not have a first edition that Weston reacted so negatively to, but a much later one and the reproduction is mediocre. Apparently the original had a green cast to the photos as well as the paper, a choice the publisher made because of the book's title.

That's rotten. There should not have been a dis-connect between the artist and the editors/publishers. It sounds like George Macy needed some help in selecting images, too. And there was a war on.

When considering book-making as a fine art, if a book fails, is it therefore not fine art...or just example of bad fine art? Obviously it becomes subjective very quickly.

 

[MattKing]

When considering book-making as a fine art, if a book fails, is it therefore not fine art...or just example of bad fine art?

Or how about, an example of bad book making?
Would a poorly printed copy of Alice in Wonderland be bad Art?

 

[Vaughn]

Or a lower cost edition of a fine-art book for the masses, so to speak. Bad art?

 

[RalphLambrecht]

To me, fine art is anything done without a computer. It is something that takes real human talent. It is a craft that is learned over time and perfected using your human skills and talents, not a programmers that has provided algorithms to give you the ability to reproduce within his constraints not through the expansion of your own progressive creativity.

Kev

I disagree. a computer is just one tool of many to produce art or fine-art.

 

[Alan Edward Klein]

See synonyms for: fine art / fine arts
noun
a visual art considered to have been created primarily for aesthetic purposes and judged for its beauty and meaningfulness, specifically, painting, sculpture, drawing, watercolor, graphics, and architecture.

They left out photography, probably to avoid discussions like this, LOL

Architecture is used to live or work in. Similar to let's say a Ferrari, crock ware, hand carved shotgun, and other functional art. I wouldn't put them in the same category as paintings or sculptures that basically you just look at for aesthetic or spiritual satisfaction. Then there is performance art like dance, music, singing, etc.

Art also has to do a lot with ego. No one wants to just be a singer, musician, dancer, or photographer for that matter, We all want to elevate ourselves to artist. Even better a fine artist. Elvis Presley the artist or singer? Hmmm. Alan Klein, fine image artist. Sounds a lot more impressive than photographer, or Alan shoots pictures.

 

[Auer]

Fine art is just like regular art, but instead of being done by regular people it's done by fine people.

 

[Alan Edward Klein]

It should not have surprised me...my university was about the third one in the country to create a photography program actually within an Art Department.

I do like the idea someone put forward that art is a result of neoteny...the retention of the characteristics of youth into maturity. I am thinking along the lines of characteristics such as learning, play, and curiosity -- and how retaining such characteristics would favor the invention of art as a way to focus and express those characteristics as individuals and as a society.

I also like the idea the art was invented to keep the wackos productively occupied so they would not interfer with the necessities of running the cave/clan/tribe.

Art could be an extension of creativeness and inventiveness in man. Allowing our minds to think out of the box into creative exploration has allowed us to advance in culture, science, and everything else. We learn about the environment and nature around us so we can use it more fully. Child and man just playing around surely have led to many inventions either by planning or serendipity.

 

[Vaughn]

Right. Art IS the creativeness and inventiveness in man.

 

[rick shaw]

Art has been described as adult play or serious play by photographers and artists such as Carl Chiarenza.

Once I started thinking of photography as making photos instead of taking photos, the real fun began.

There are no rules in art.

 

[Vaughn]

Fine art is just like regular art, but instead of being done by regular people it's done by fine people.

Lik! But if tin whistles are made of tin, are fog horns made of fog?

 

[MattKing]

Lik! But if tin whistles are made of tin, are fog horns made of fog?

And we won't even start considering French horns.

 

[Vaughn]

Oh...I thought that was just the way they were played...

Edit -- I guess that would be Frenched Horns.

 

[NB23]

I tried to transpose the question to what is “fine ass?”.

To my dismay, I came up with many answers, even a few contradictory ones.

 

[Auer]

Oh...I thought that was just the way they were played...

Played? Like an Instrument? French Horns are Instruments.....?

 

[removed account4]

Lik! But if tin whistles are made of tin, are fog horns made of fog?

funny thing tin whistles used to be made of tin and cost a penny ( were called penny whistles I think that was them ). now they are made of something else and cost a lot more than a penny.
fog horns ?
I think they are made of lots of ego, look for mother hens, dodge chicken hawks and farmer's dogs and say "I say boy, I say boy". all the time

 

[Arthurwg]

"Art is that which can not be reduced to rhetoric." Peter B. O'Sullivan.

 

[Sirius Glass]

Actually French Horn is a misnomer. It’s just Horn.

What about the unjust horns? No one speaks up for them.

 

[MattKing]

Actually French Horn is a misnomer. It’s just Horn.

Does this mean my grade 8 band teacher was wrong!?

 

[Pieter12]

Does this mean my grade 8 band teacher was wrong!?

And an English Horn isn't even a horn!

 

[KenS]

I see more and more people setting up web sites (I plan to do one myself some day) to show and sell their photographs. A lot of them describe their work as Fine Art Photography whether it is darkroom produced or from an inkjet printer. Some of these people may be experienced and some not so.

So can someone define "Fine Art Photography" for me please? Does it matter how it is produced? Are we all Fine Art Photographers?

Peter

p.s. Apologies if this is in the wrong forum section.

Well.... I answered my daughter's 'challenge to "Go and do and a Fine Art degree at the nearby university', after I was 'downsized' from the nearby Agriculture .Canada Research Centre (they needed the floor-space I occupied.
When taking the 'Photography course, I was somewhat "puzzled' for the need of a "meaning' for the photographs I stuck up on the wall for The Prof's (and fellow students' class critique). 'The quality of the image (ie composition and 'how well it was 'seen/recorded/processed and printed seemed to take second or third place to the "meaning" of the images. Craftsmanship seemed to take 'second and/or third place in the evaluation and final grade for the course.
In other words...."Intent' seemed to be more important than 'craftsmanship' when it came to one's final Course "grade".

Ken

 

[Pieter12]

Well.... I answered my daughter's 'challenge to "Go and do and a Fine Art degree at the nearby university', after I was 'downsized' from the nearby Agriculture .Canada Research Centre (they needed the floor-space I occupied.
When taking the 'Photography course, I was somewhat "puzzled' for the need of a "meaning' for the photographs I stuck up on the wall for The Prof's (and fellow students' class critique). 'The quality of the image (ie composition and 'how well it was 'seen/recorded/processed and printed seemed to take second or third place to the "meaning" of the images. Craftsmanship seemed to take 'second and/or third place in the evaluation and final grade for the course.
In other words...."Intent' seemed to be more important than 'craftsmanship' when it came to one's final Course "grade".

Ken

Craftsmanship can be learned. Intent is more difficult.

 

[Jim Jones]

Craftsmanship can be learned. Intent is more difficult.

Intent with inadequate craftsmanship is poor art. I admire fine craftsmanship more than some creations that pass for art.

 

[Sirius Glass]

Intent with inadequate craftsmanship is poor art. I admire fine craftsmanship more than some creations that pass for art.

I like to see good intent even if it is without the craftsmenship or craftswomenship.

 

[Pieter12]

I have seen countless works of fine craftsmanship that are not worth a second glance--in fact there are galleries and galleries (well at least there used to be) full of such work. On the other hand, flawed work can transcend the lack of craft if there is something compelling about it.

 

[DonJ]

Craftsmanship can be learned. Intent is more difficult.

If one has mastered "craftmanship" and has little interest in "intent", what is the point of pursuing a Fine Art degree?