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What is abstract expressionism? - Sarah Rosenthal

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If you visit a museum with a collection of modern and contemporary art, you’re likely to see works that sometimes elicit the response, “My cat could make that, so how is it art?” But is it true? Could anyone create one of Jackson Pollock’s drip paintings? Sarah Rosenthal dives into the Abstract Expressionist movement in hopes of answering that question.

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Meet The Creators

  • Educator Sarah Rosenthal
  • Director Tomás Pichardo-Espaillat
  • Composer Cem Misirlioglu
  • Narrator Addison Anderson
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Lesson creator

Does art need to be beautiful or valuable to be important?

Comments are closed on this discussion.

Avatar for kaden fulcher
Lesson completed

I completely agree with Alina Amjaf, and most of the other responses!


Avatar for Alaia Asad
Lesson completed

The Oxford Dictionary says art is the expression or application of human creative skill and imagination, typically in a visual form such as painting or sculpture, producing works to be appreciated primarily for their beauty or emotional power. I say that art is what you create with your mind and with your hands for yourself or others to visually enjoy. The beauty of it can help with the enjoying part but does not determine its worth to the creator. I’m sure there are many who take one look at their creations and throw them away never to be seen again if they’re not what they predicted, and that’s okay. I believe that the significance of art only relies on the pleasure it brings to me.


Avatar for alina amjaf
Lesson in progress

Art is art. I don't think art needs to be beautiful to be important, it depends on what you want or does not want to show, it depicts a deeper meaning. As for being valuable, I do believe art needs to be special and close to your heart to be important but then again art is an art and whatever you make is special and has a deeper meaning if you want it to have one.


Avatar for Humna Haroon
Lesson completed

No, art does not need to be beautiful or valuable to be important. As they say, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I might find a certain piece of art to be ugly while someone thinks it's beautiful because they see it differently. This is why art is such a diverse, free concept. Anyone can draw anything and it might be seen as beautiful to some while unpleasant to others.


Avatar for Allison Carrizales
Lesson in progress

in response to Avish Sharma Show comment

Art is like something you can really good at like lines and more Art is important for some people and Art as is own way of drawing and painting but art can help you a lot and it could be beautiful and valuable and it could even be not important.


Avatar for Avish Sharma
Lesson in progress

Well, no. I mean, art can't always be what you want. Art is it's own thing, just getting creative on the canvas. Thing about it: How would you feel if someone put you in front of a easel, "Ok, I want you to draw a girl hugging a lion! And nothing extra!" No. If that was how the arts worked, then every painting would be the same. That's not art. Art is all about getting creative and expressing yourself. So, no. Art needs to be original to be important. It could be beautiful and valuable, and it still wouldn't be important.


Avatar for Tristen Humphrey
Lesson completed

No because art is art in it's own way



Avatar for Jameera Sneed
Lesson in progress

I feel like art should what you want it to be because it doesn't matter what others think(even though they have money that you need) But it should be what you want it to be or otherwise art,life,daily things will way harder for you. And if they don't like it they it's ok because it's not about them it's about you and if you take all you time on costumer your satitfcation.


Avatar for brylee harber
Lesson completed

No, i do not think that i think at long as you tried your best on it thats all that matters

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