[TheForge] new anvils ring

[George Dixon]

T'was said......

"To me it means that its "art" because it is stimulating people to talk about
it."

Ah, the political definition of "art". 



If it has an explanation with it then it did not work, so it must be art......
It has been interesting to watch how art has devolved from the capable creation of an idea, to the current art de jour in which the 'idea' matters more than the execution.  Too bad that mastering a discipline or a medium matters less than what the work "says" or is said about it.
If the only eye reacted to poorly done art the way the ear reacted to poorly played music......there would be far less of the former.

The analogy between the two, art and music, indicates that mastering the medium before trying improvisational work  is a more solid approach than the current self-esteem movement in art.  The terms 'art' and 'artist' have such profound appeal to so many, but actually walking the walk requires more effort and focus than most will exert.  The contemporary solution has been to define art down in terms of mastery of a medium, while removing any semblance of 
objective criticism from it.  'Competency' has been supplanted by 'message and meaning'.

Having never played a trumpet, by today's 'art' standards, I will be a improvisational jazz artist as soon as I pick one up and start tooting away. 

George Dixon
"is it art yet?"