What defines Fine Art?

[graham_thompson1]

<p>I see top class images in various galleries. Some in fine art.<br>

What makes it fine art?</p>

[ian_tindale]

<p>Broadly speaking (and of course, with many exceptions) it is defined by the intent or purpose. Commissioned or commercial art is seen as being at the other end of a scale to fine art. </p>

[keith selmes]

<p>Its what you hang on the wall and look at, as distinct from using for advertising, technical records, sentimental value etc.</p>

<p>There are lots of other definitions - in some cases it comes down to what the owner of a "Fine Art" gallery is willing to deal in - which sometimes excludes photography completely, or indeed anything since the 16th century sometimes!</p>

<p>And of course an image can gave a different function for different people, and may be appreciated as art long after its practical purpose has expired, and likewise a famous piece of fine art may well fetch up in an advertising campaign.</p>

<p>However, from many discussions, I think my first sentence is as good as it gets for a brief answer.</p>

[keith selmes]

<p>And what Ian said too - the other end of the scale from commercial work, sort of art for arts sake I suppose.</p>

[luis_g]

Intent and/or context (where and how it's shown). Keep in mind that fine art does not automatically mean it's good or (great) fine art.

[jay a. frew]

<p>The Online Photographer posted a series of blogs (along with many, many comments) on this topic, ending on 11 Feb (two or three earlier discussion were posted as well).</p>

<p>http://theonlinephotographer.typepad.com/the_online_photographer/blog_index.html/page/2/</p>

<p>Good News: There are many answers to your question.</p>

<p>Bad News: Too many people think theirs is the only true answer.</p>

<p>Cheers! Jay</p>

[aplumpton]

<p>It seems to have been invented in the early 19thC, in order to to distinguish between purely aesthetic or non-useful art practices from the crafts or applied arts, including decorative arts or design. Originally applied to painting and sculpture, but some photography, dance and writing have since been included.</p>

[dbcooper]

<p>From Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fine_art</p>

<p>Example: http://www.limpfish.com/pics/rembrandt_homer</p>

[steve m smith]

<p>I have a friend who owns a gallery. Her definition is that fine art is ordinary art with an extra 40% on the price ticket!</p>

[aplumpton]

<p>Fine art is also to applied art or decoration what basic science research is to engineering conception. Pure versus applied.</p>

[jimmckinnon]

<p>D.B. - Thanks for the link to Homer!</p>

<p>Also, Is there a distinction between "fine" art and "coarse" art?</p>

<p>Like so many things in life, labels seem to cause confusion and problems. I think Steve's "+40%" pretty well covers it.</p>

[steve m smith]

<blockquote>

<p>I think Steve's "+40%" pretty well covers it.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>It probably also needs a suitably pretentious artist's statement to justify it.</p>

[VKinCA]

<p>Hanging a nicely framed poster of the Mona Lisa on your wall would hardly be considered Fine Art. Fine Art, regardless of form and content (Claude Monet to Frank Stella), is created by a process that includes and suggests something handmade (or hand-finished) and one-of-a-kind. Paintings not posters / sculpture not injection molded / handmade prints not inkjets & machine duplicated outputs / woodblock prints not lightjet. For instance, I don't see how a 'limited edition" poster, inkjet, giclee or lightjet of the Last Supper would ever be considered Fine Art.</p>

[stp]

<p>

<p><em>"Its what you hang on the wall and look at, as distinct from using for advertising, technical records, sentimental value etc."</em></p>

<p>I.E., most of what you see on photo.net is fine art.</p>

 

</p>

[bob_lazzarini]

<p>It’s what’s in the mind/eye of the beholder!</p>

[steve_levine]

<p>Art that's chosen for reasons other than "it goes with your furniture".</p>

[pjmeade]

As I see it, it's all down to price.

 

If I sell an image for 35 GBP, that's a print. If it goes for 350 GBP and is put on a wall, that's art.

 

( if it goes for 450 GBP and gets written on, it's advertising)

[stp]

<p>I once asked a curator of a museum what this term means, and he couldn't answer. It's a vague term that is loosely applied and means different things to different people. Personally, I find that, in very general terms, "fine art" tends to be those photographs that are 1) more abstract or 2) more simple, to the point of causing me to ask "Why on earth did someone take that photograph?"</p>

[Norma Desmond]

<p>Regarding PN categories at least, I place in the Fine Art category photos that don't fit into the other categories. I sense that's often what others do as well. For instance, I've taken several pictures of statues and even in museums. These don't seem to fit anywhere else so I put them in Fine Art. I've also taken some pictures of people on location that weren't quite portraits and weren't really street or fashion, so they went into Fine Art.</p>

[aplumpton]

<p>I have a bit of trouble about all this talk about money or gallery percentages. 40 or 50% of $250 or even of $500 doesn't make anybody rich.</p>

<p>Many seem to ignore the definition that fine art (like "Beaux Arts" in French) simply describes "purely aesthetic or non-useful art practices". If your objective is marriages, photojournalism, art as decoration, magazine covers, advertising or a variety of commercial pursuits of the artist or photographer, we are surely talking different categories.</p>

[sfcole]

<p>Judging by the photos in B&W Magazine, fine art photography is one of the following:<br>

1. Long-exposure photos of water that everyone in the world is doing now.<br>

2. Photos of cracks in the pavement.<br>

3. Blurry nudes<br>

4. Derelict buildings or that ghost town everyone photographs in CA (Bodie?)<br>

5. Some combination of #3 sprawled in #4.<br>

6. Any photo done on large-format and printed in a darkroom, no matter how tedious or vapid.<br>

6. Disturbing photos of evil-looking dolls.</p>