A Definition of Art

for the nothing it is worth — and acknowledging its unoriginality

Photo by Amauri Mejía on Unsplash

Art is imagery produced by people to affect the emotions of people who engage with it. Images can be conveyed verbally (words, oral or written: prose, poetry, lyrics of songs); auditorily (sound without words); or visually (drawing, painting, photography, videography, sculpture, fabrication, physical performance). Forms of imagery can be combined. Material existence, including both nature and products of people, can produce images that affect people, but for imagery to be art it must be produced for the purpose of affecting people emotionally. Imagery can also affect people rationally/intellectually, but art must intend to affect people emotionally.