Philosophy of art

 Art critics say that music is expressive. But, art philosophers ask what are meant by an expressive kind of music and how to determine whether a music is really expressive or not. 

What distinguishes an object of art from other things? 

An art is something made by human and not what is naturally found in nature. All beautiful things are not objects of art. For example, a sunset is not an object of art. Also, driftwood is not an object of art. A piece of wood that is made to look like driftwood, however, is an object of art. Both the driftwood and the carved driftwood look similar but only the carved wood is an object of art. 

The dilemma of objets trouvés

The artist's perception can make anything a work of art. 

These are found objects. It includes trash arts. These objects of art are made from materials not conventionally used to make arts. 

Readymades of Marcel Duchamp:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Readymades_of_Marcel_Duchamp

He chose the objects and repositioned, joined, or tilted them. They raise a question mark on the definition of art. Duchamp believed that taste was the enemy of art. Duchamp made these things to get away from what he calls, his own self. Ideas came first to him then the visual concepts. He tried to keep his taste out of the picture by creating lesser of his readymade. He made only 13 readymades over three decades. 

What Duchamp meant by 'readymade' evolved over time. He could not arrive at any definition of readymade ever. Robert Fulford called it nihilism expressed by art. 

Types of readymades:

Readymades - un-altered objects

Assisted readymades - putting several readymades together taking away their use

Rectified readymades - an altered or marked readymade

Corrected readymades

Reciprocal readymades - a unique art work presented as a mass-produced utilitarian object

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The Bottle Rack: 

Duchamp brought the metal rack from a market. He did not modify any part of it. He only asked his sister to inscribe something on it to show that it was a gift from his side. The bottle rack gathered dust around his studio and his sister ended up throwing it away. It was only a bottle rack like any other they sell in the market. But, the spiky appearance made it look like a hedgehog. Some others say that the spikes represented the male genitalia and they were bare to represent Duchamp's bachelor's life. 

So, it is a bottle rack but the artist's perception of it makes it a work of art. 

Bicycle Wheel 

There is only a wooden stool on top of which there is a cycle wheel. Duchamp would rotate the wheel to watch is sometimes. Duchamp said that watching the wheel spinning was like watching the dancing flames. 

It was Duchamp's first kinetic sculpture. 

List of works by Duchamp

List of works by Marcel Duchamp Portrait of Dr. Dumouchel (1910) The Bush (1910–11) Yvonne and Magdeleine Torn in Tatters (1911) Nude Descending a Staircase, No. 2 (1912) Bicycle Wheel (1913) Bottle Rack (1914) In Advance of the Broken Arm (1915) The Bride Stripped Bare by Her Bachelors, Even (1915–1923) Apolinère Enameled (c. 1916) Tulip Hysteria Co-ordinating (1917) Fountain (1917) L.H.O.O.Q. (1919) Belle Haleine, Eau de Voilette (1920–21) Why Not Sneeze, Rose Sélavy? (1921) Monte Carlo Bonds (1924) La Boîte-en-valise (1934-1966) Étant donnés (1946–1966)