What even makes art, art?

One point Troemel makes, which resonated with me, is that " without a bureaucratic establishment imbuing art with value, art is free to be valued in any way possible." I think that social media has been very positive this way—not only in separating the "high" art world from everyday life but by providing an outlet that allows people to challenge mainstream consciousness. While interpreting art is a subjective process, I think an artist’s intention and dedication are communicated by the quality of the work. In this sense, I think that social media can be great tool for discovery and navigating through “good” and “bad” art. Like Troemel mentions, I think that common experience, personal connection and vulnerability are all valued more by our generation—are what define good art now. Lately, I find that social media can be double-edged sword, as the often-perpetual question “Am I an artist?” seems to be charged with more anxiety than it used to be. I think this is because being an “artist” is highly glamorized today and has become synonymous with the idea of living an “aesthetic lifestyle.” Social media also permits a lot of self-doubt and insecurity by making it easy to compare yourself to other people. Unfortunately, I think what social media doesn’t glamorize enough is the process and work ethic that it takes to produce something worth sharing.

--AG