Reference no: EM133301181

Questions

1. Is the definition of art anything that represents beauty, or is art a specific human activity that can be beautiful, but is not always? Give an example in support of your argument.

2. As we see in the materials for this week's class, blurring the boundaries between art and life can be very effective, if sometimes disturbing. What, do you think, is the value of having separate spaces and categories for "art," what is the argument for having there always be a clear boundary between art and life?

3. Given the evidence we've seen that artists use their art to deal with trauma, and patients use art therapy to deal with trauma, what is it that separates an artist from a patient if both are engaged in the same activity? Why is Van Gogh more famous than the patients Melissa Walker describes?

4. For Karl Marx, the "use-value" of a coat is its warmth. This is what you pay for. What is the "use-value" of art? What use-values does the art industry produce that might be separate from its actual products? Give an example.

5. What specifically can art do for political or social issues that cannot be done by other forms of production, e.g., journalism, history, organizing, legislation, etc.? Give an example that's important to you.