Saturday, September 22, 2007
Can the arts be graded?

If art is a medium in which creativity and expression pours out of how can it have a standard at which it is judged? Isn't each individual's creativity and expression subject to that individual's standards?

For one, I've often wondered why figure skating is considered a sport first (granted, it's one of my favorites).
The marks scheme is split into two: technical elements and artistry. The technical marks are pretty straightforward, you either nail it or you don't (landing two-footed or not making the complete revolutions count as not making it, obviously) but the marking of a skater's artistry is very subjective. Certainly, it's not possible to judge them fairly on that. The act of administering these points in the first place implies that one skater's artistry is "better" than another's. On what basis is this skater's better than the next? Her facial expressions are more exaggerated and so that means her artistry is far superior? When in fact the interpretations of both skaters are different, they are now being ranked in a discreditable manner - always being biased to one of them a little more than the other.
What was worse was when the old ISU points mark system was still in use. It was then possible for a gifted skater to get a "perfect" score: 6.0 for technical elements and 6.0 for artistry. 'Perfect artistry'... seems a bit funny don't you think?

Most of the time, if not all of the time, art is very relative; its boundaries of what is right and wrong don't ever seem to be clearly defined. What one person finds vulgar and distasteful another could find audacious and innovative. Thus the reason for the number of controversies in art as well.

This problem is now, for me, more evident in the art classes at school. Apparently, it's possible for a student to be marked down because their work does not match the definition of art as is accepted by the teacher or textbook. Or for a teacher to decimate an artwork because she "doesn't like the effect" of what the student was doing. A bit harsh when compensating the fact that maybe that student used all four periods the class was given to work on the assignment creating something she truly believed was "acceptable".

Definition from Dictionary.com
art1 [ahrt] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation –noun
1.the quality, production, expression, or realm, according to aesthetic principles, of what is beautiful, appealing, or of more than ordinary significance.

I remember in 8th grade our art class also debated and discussed about the definition of art, so I guess one could go off on another tangent arguing what is and is not art.
For another blog perhaps...

And maybe none of this makes sense. Just thoughts from an exhausted and frustrated person who believes music exams are a waste of time and money (what do you use them for anyway? college applications? résumés? personal gratification?).

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posted by Pb, lead at 5:12 PM |

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