Author: Tom Pigeon (---.charterpipeline.net)
Date: 03-25-2004 14:57
This is an interesting topic, art and RPG's, but the whole discussion becomes a dog chasing its tale since the definition of art is abstract. Personally, I think the mistake is in trying to define art as a "thing," determining its properties, etc. There really is no such thing as something that IS art, only what someone intends to be art.
I think the overriding characteristic of art is not in what it is or is not, but in the motivation of the creater. You have two camps, I believe, when someone creates something new: art and craft. The difference is in motivation, who the piece is intended to satisfy. Art is made by the artist, for the artist, to please him/herself; craft is made to please others.
That, in a nutshell, is art, I think. It stands to reason, too, since artists are generally trying to "express themselves," which is self satisfaction, not necessarily to please others. Really, to understand "art," you have to learn something about the artist and their motivations for creating a piece, to get into their heads. This backs up my belief that "art" is intended more for the artist than the "crowd."
Craft, on the other hand, is more objective in that it seeks to please everyone. This is where we would put nearly all commercial creations, from movies to comic books.
Anyway, just my pennies.
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