Art is an expression of oneself that does not have to follow any template and is the product of one's experiences that evoke emotions in others.
Although my experiences with art have been limited, my time in the Sistine Chapel will stay in my mind forever. During the summer of 2006, I traveled to Italy and visited Vatican City. There was countless pieces of art leading into the Sistine Chapel but none as magnificent. The room was breathtaking. Not only was its size monumental, but the detail of ever inch was extraordinary. Some might think that a piece of art work that enormous would have considerable less detail than a painting of average size - one that fits though, lets say, a doorway. I could have spent hours examining the room but, unfortunately, I had a relatively short time, of about an hour, to spend in the room. The Chapel was overwhelming; the painting contained endless beauty and uniqueness. Michelangelo's intention was to obviously convey events of the Bible. He illustrates the Last Judgement, nine stories from the Book of Genesis, prophets, and much more. He was very successful because religious enthusiast and non-religious people come far and wide to see and appreciate his works. Whether or not you have a sufficient understanding of religion, you can appreciate the painting.
De Duve basically stated that art has no one real definition. Art holds a different meaning for different people. One does not have to be an art expert or critic to believe one object or another to be art. "You need no theory of art to love art" (31). Everyone's experiences cause them to react individually to various pieces of art. "You can only love within the limits of your social determination and of the cultural opportunities that are objectively available to you" (31). As long as a piece evokes some type of an emotion in you, it can be considered art.
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Rachael,
You do well to address all the questions I posed in the assignment. I'm especially curious about the idea of the success of the Sistine Chapel. Is its success only wrapped up in its popularity and fame? It would be useful also to consider why it was successful in the time it was made, and how that was connected to its function as a religious space.
Your final statement about de Duve's piece also caught my attention. Although he does refer to subjectivity, as you suggest, de Duve does not put great emphasis on emotion, or at least not that I recall. Is there particular place where he mentions this?
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