Cailin Zarate Essay 1
In Elizabeth Kreiner’s book Toward a Definition of Art, it is said that art is any “human activity in which one, through the conscious use of skill and imagination, represents a particular action or experience with the intention of illuminating the universal quality of that action, producing delight through instruction”.[1] This definition is quite broad, but Kreiner elaborates on what it takes to be considered “art”; the work must be created with some degree of skill and imagination. The amount of these two values can vary, but must both be included. Kreiner goes on to give some more defining points that I found to be helpful in defining art; art can be a political weapon, art is a “moral vehicle”, and art imitates life.[2] One thing that stuck with me is Aristotle’s definition of art, which Kreiner also included in her text, “for Aristotle, art is not a way to understand a higher universal reality but a way for one to understand the human condition”.[3] Photography has succeeded in doing this- imitating the human experience- photography allows people to see life through many different lenses.
