Visual arts, such as painting, drawing and sculpting, have become crucial parts of past and present cultures. Being relevant in so many areas of life, ranging from science to storytelling, visual art is something that plays into everyday life. Not everyone claims that they have been given these talents, as most people do not think they are artists, even some people working in art fields, which leads us to beg the question -- can anybody be an artist? If so, what makes them an artist?
Modern art is one of the less highly revered forms of art, often getting scoffed at for "looking like it was done by a child." BuzzFeed even made a video taunting this called "Modern Art or Kid Art?" As seen below, "Anabasis" by Cy Twombly, was used as an example in the BuzzFeed video, many of the contestants incorrectly guessing that this piece of art was done by a child, questioning at what point a drawing crosses over from scribbles to artwork. Modern art is a grey area for many people who do not understand or relate to the meaning and feelings behind the works.
So what actually is modern art? The period of modern art roughly lasted from the 1860s to the 1970s. It is known for its spirit of experimentation. Artists threw away styles of the past and found new uses and techniques to create a new concept about what art is and can be. Generally, much of modern art tends toward abstraction. Instead of just focusing on beautiful art, artists began to express themselves through ugly or even funny pieces. During this period standards of art declined dramatically, and art became more of a means of personal expression. Each artist sought for their art to be valued as worthy and important, which eventually changed how audiences interpreted and accepted art.
A movement like this led many skeptics to question whether or not anyone could be an "artist" if they simply called something art. In a nutshell, yes. The proverb "beauty is in the eye of the beholder" accurately describes this. The perception of beauty is subjective -- each person sees and relates to things differently. Meaning for one person a sculpture could have no meaning, and for another it could bring back warm memories. Art is majorly dependent on cultural climate as its meaning is shared among members of a community, each piece has context that helps to bring it to light and create value in the surrounding community.
Others claim that no one is born a master painter. Each person starts with a certain skill level and through much practicing and revision they can eventually grow to greatness.
