"What is Art?" is a 130 page essay published by Leo Tolstoy in 1896. I read it 15 years ago in grad school and just re-read it as it remains as relevant today as in 1896.
After you read it be sure to check out this analysis of the work that includes an exploration of the more germane quotes.
http://www.csulb.edu/~jvancamp/361r14.html
Some gems from the essay:
"In order correctly to define art, it is necessary, first of all, to cease to consider it as a means to pleasure and to consider it as one of the conditions of human life. Viewing it in this way we cannot fail to observe that art is one of the means of intercourse between man and man."
"Every work of art causes the receiver to enter into a certain kind of relationship both with him who produced, or is producing, the art, and with all those who, simultaneously, previously, or subsequently, receive the same artistic impression."
PHOTOGRAPHY LINKS:
I have found the following essays about photography
from the below professional photographers invaluable.
www.jimpattersonphotography.com
www.bobestrin.com
www.michaelreichmann.com
www.digital-photography-school.com
PAINTING LINKS:
I enjoying browsing the following links:
www.artfourm.com
www.artnews.com
www.artinamericamagazine.com
www.theartnewspaper.com
www.artscene.com
www.joannemattera.com
The two below links are excellent for photography and art
supplies:
www.bhphoto.com
www.dickblick.com
A few thoughts about art that have stayed with me over the years and which I paraphrase below without proper attribution.
Take a pencil dull from overuse and create something unique by holding it slightly askew creating a line with characteristics borrowed from the previous yet singularly unique.
Poetry leads to painting.
Painting leads to photography.
Photography leads to short fiction.
Short fiction leads to filmmaking.
Per Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International and front page stories in many of the world's top newspapers, including The New York Times, many artists and intellectuals in China have been detained by the government, their whereabouts and safety, unkown.
One of those detained is one of the greatest living contemporary artists, Ai Weiwei.
You can make a difference by contacting your local Chinese Embassy and demanding they release Ai Weiwiei and others recently detained per below articles in The New York Times.
Please click or cut and paste below link.
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/04/world/asia/04china.html?_r=1&ref=global-home
The following website provides contact information for Congress so you can contact your local representatives and encourage them to put pressure on President Obama and the Chinese government to immediately release and to stop detaining some of the greatest creative and intellectual minds of China and the world.
http://www.webslingerz.com/jhoffman/congress-email.html
Chinese Embassies and Consulates in The United States can be found at below URL:
http://www.visarite.com/chnConsulate.htm?gclid=CK2opK7PgagCFRUq2god9Sszsg
Chinese Embassies in The United States:
(e-mail and call them and cut and paste them my link:)
http://www.ocmodernart.com/Blog.htm
so they know what we are doing!
WASHINGTON, DC
2300 Connecticut Avenue, N.W.
20008
Washington D.C.
District of Columbia
USA
Phone:
+1-202-328-2500
+1-202-328-2551
Fax:
+1-202-588-0032
+1-202-328-2582
Email:
chinaembassy_us@fmprc.gov.cn
Website URL:
www.china-embassy.org/eng
Consulate of China in Illinois, United States
100 West Eirie Street
IL 60610
Chicago
Illinois
USA
Phone:
+1-773-803-0095
Fax:
+1-773-803-0110
+1-773-803-0105
Email:
chinaconsul_chi_us@mfa.gov.cn
Website URL:
www.chinaconsulatechicago.org
Consulate of China in California, United States
1450 Laguna Str.
CA 94115
San Fransisco
California
USA
Phone:
+1-415-609-1789
+1-415-674-2900
Fax:
+1-415-563-0494
Email:
chinasonsul_san_us@mfa.gov.cn
Website URL:
www.chinaconsulatesf.org
Consulate of China in Texas, United States
3417 Montrose Blvd.
TX 77006
Houston
Texas
USA
Phone:
+1-713-521-9996
+1-713-520-1462
+1-713-520-1100
Fax:
+1-713-521-3064
Email:
visa@chinahouston.org
info@chinahouston.org
Website URL:
www.chinahouston.org
Consulate of China in California, United States
443 Shatto Place
CA 90020
Los Angeles
California
USA
Phone:
+1-213-807-8088
+1-213-807-8011
Fax:
+1-213-380-1961
Email:
webmaster@chinaconsulatela.org
Website URL:
www.chinaconsulatela.org
Double click here to add text.
DEMAND THAT CHINESE GOVERNMENT AUTHORITIES IMMEDIATELY RELEASE ARTISTS AND INTELLECTUALS SUCH AS AI WEIWEI PER BELOW AND THAT THEY IMMEDIATELY END DETAINING
THE GREATEST LIVING MINDS OF CHINA.
