Art 125 Week 1 Individual Assignment Pop Culture and the Arts Paper

Pop Culture and Arts Paper

Pop Culture and the Arts – ARTS125

Pop Culture and Arts

Art has many meanings since it can be expressed in many different forms. Many people have different definitions of art. Most people think that art is a drawing or painting but I think there is more to the concept of art. This paper will provide a personal definition of art, fine art, popular art, and artifact; describe how these terms influence my cultural perception of the world and how they help identify with the culture to which I belong. This paper will also give a personal definition of culture, elite culture, pop culture, ethnocentrism, trend, and fad and how these terms relate to my definition of art.

I believe art is a form of human expression created through skill, imagination or possibly even life events. Art can take on various forms including music, literature, film, sculpture, and paintings. Fine art would be in the form of visual arts like painting, sculpture, photography, and performing arts such as actors in theater along with dancers and musicians. Popular art can be in the form of dance, literature, music, theatre, or other art form that depicts objects or scenes from everyday life. An artifact is an object or replica based on human activity, which is used by society such as a tool or a weapon (Stanford , 2009).

I think art can sometimes change the way we look at the world. Media plays a strong part in what influences the culture in which we live. In our culture, media plays a part in the how we think and behave. I think the media has a strong and cultural impact on society through the use of television, radio, and Internet. Television and radio has control over what we listen to and watch, and the Internet sometimes overloads us with an abundance of information and it is sometimes hard to decipher what is true or false (Folkerts, 2004).

I would define culture as the way in which one lives. Culture consists of one's economic, personal, political, religious, ethnic, racial, and social beliefs. I would classify elite culture as powerful or educated members of a particular group such as political or strong socioeconomic positions of power such as the President of the United States. Pop culture refers to the cultural practices that the majority of people in a particular culture find enjoyable or useful. Popular Culture includes such elements as music, clothing styles, certain popular internet sites, and movies and T.V. shows. Ethnocentrism is the beliefs of one’s own culture or ethnic group. Ethnocentrism is the attitude that one’s own culture or ethnic group is more important or superior over the groups of others. Trend is something that is happening now or popular at a given time such as fashion or style of clothing. Trends have staying power, take longer to build and the effects can be felt for years or even decades. A fad is a latest sensation or innovations that are short-lived and burn out fast such as Tickle Me Elmo.