¿ Art ?

I have a photo album on my Facebook page called "¿ Art ?" The double question marks denote the dilemma which was posed recently to our class. What is art?

My fluffy answer is, "Art is the observation, duplication or representation of reality." What does this mean? Everything is art. While dictionaries and art history textbooks may lay down some concrete, finite answer to the question, I am tempted to argue that given the subjective nature of art and the infinite processes of the human mind, any thing at any time could be considered art.

What makes a photo of a cathedral taken by a tourist a "picture" and a photo taken by a student or master at the same time, from the same angle, with the same lighting "art"? It's a strictly subjective and personal delineation. From la Jaconde to Warhol's stack of crates, art can manifest itself in any number of forms with any of a number of purposes. It would be both foolish and arrogant to make a list and scream that only X, Y and Z should be considered art. Highly-paid and pretentious art critics aside, all of existence can be considered art... Much like the trite expression, "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder," so can the same be said for art. Now that's not to say that all art is sacred or above reproach or critique, but we should strife to search for, find and appreciate the beauty... and the meaning in everything around us.