ART DEFINED Index

"Art is a selective re-creation of reality according to an artist's metaphysical value judgements"

Ayn Rand

The artist chooses, from among the vast array of possibilities, what he wants to show in his artwork. He chooses what he considers is important in life as he sees it. He omits and re-arranges and in this sense creates the universe anew. What he creates serves no other purpose than an object of contemplation for men.

An artist's view of the universe comes crashing through in his artwork. If the artist believes the world to be an evil place, and man worthless, he cannot hide it in his artistic creations. If the artist believes the world is benevolent and man heroic his artistic creations will show that.