Art vs Art

As an artist and in discussions I've had with friends and colleagues who are also artists, I've come to the conclusion that there are really just two types of artists. Now hold on, I know many of you are thinking "How can you say that?, there are so many great types of artists?" Although that is true, hear me out. The two main types of artists that I believe exist in the world today are the Artists who focus on the skill, technique, and prowess of an art form and hone that ability over years of effort and artistic endeavors, and then there are Artists who focus on the social ideals of the art form and look for the societal impact that their art can create, then look to expand the minds of their viewers or at least to push an idea forward into the public mind that otherwise would go unsung. So to simplify, there is the Skills Artist, and there is the Social Artist.

These two types of artists absolutely despise the others way of thinking and the processes they choose to follow. The social artist will say "Oh, your just a production artist you don't really understand the meaning of art and how it transcends all thinking and ideologies." Conversely the skills artist will say "That's not art!, why don't you focus on the form and the structure and make something that truly shows the depth and time that goes into the art that you profess to practice?" While both are valid discussion points, I think that both types of artists "Miss the boat" as to what it truly means to be an Artist.

Art is not just the culmination of skill and effort over years of study and practice, and it is not just the social impact or existential way of thinking about the world that makes it art. Art is the raw emotional expression of human existence. Artist's all have the desire to express and emote their ideas and feelings, it is through study of the practices and skill sets that we achieve a start at communicating those emotions and then it is the ability of the artist to apply those expressions to the masses that makes art truly moving and inspiring. Anyone can make art, this is true, the but truly great art is not just made by anyone. It is practiced, refined, expressed, tortured, extracted, and lifted directly from the human soul. Art vs Art is just a comparison of why we think ourselves better than others, Art is and should be an extension of our own human existence and frailties that we have been able to communicate to others in a meaningful and decisive way. Art is Art.