Assignment #3 – art Is memes

First off let’s get clear on what is the definition of art? According to the google dictionary, art is the “expression or application of human creative skill and imagination, typically in a visual form.” Now that we understand what art is, what is a meme? Well according to the google dictionary, it means “a humorous image, video, piece of text, etc., that is copied (often with slight variations) and spread rapidly by internet users.”

Okay, it is really not much debate that memes are a form of art and they are here to stay as the professor mentioned. Still, some may argue that it doesn’t follow traditional art formats like drawing, painting, etc. This is nonsense. I like what this girl said about memes being art. “This is simple, art imitates life. Therefore, when we see memes that highlight humanity and therefore imitates life, it is 100% art. This can also be turned around in saying that memes are also life.” – Madison Wakefield. However, they are many various questions or how memes fit into art culture, I am ready to debate about this let’s go.

Let Me Stop You Right There Hold Up GIF by Apple TV

Art in all forms is constantly evolving. Memes are a new evolution of art in the 21st century. It is absolutely great for art as it gives us humans more ways to express our ideas, feelings, and creativity. It even sometimes serves as a better communication than words themselves. How many times have you seen memes being thrown out in text messages? Probably a lot, that’s because it is a form of communication.

In the youtube video “Are LOLCats and Internet Memes Art?” the guy quotes the literary giant Leo Tolstoy and he notes that Leo said that art is to “To evoke in oneself a feeling one has once experienced and having evoked it in oneself, then by means of movements, lines, colors, sounds, or forms expressed in words so to transmit that feeling that others experience the same feeling, this is the activity of art.” Memes transmit feelings of similar experiences we have all been through, often through the use of humour. I think the humour in the art is what separates memes from other forms of art, its very unique.
I thought it was pretty awesome cool that the Grumpy Cat meme recently “inspired an art exhibit with over 30 studio artists working to create Grumpy Cat-themed artwork, which was then sold at an auction out of the Lowe Mills Art Gallery in Huntsville, Alabama.” as stated in “Are memes the pop culture art of our era?” article. The article is a great read as it dives deep into different articles of memes and it’s relationship with art.
T-Rex Media GIF
Spiderman gets it.

Although memes are a great way of self-expression, it is much more. A good meme is often spreading fast throughout the internet. As humans, we are all facing similar challenges and experiences throughout the day. As a result of this, relatable funny memes are always spreading throughout the internet. Memes are a representation of life itself. Anyways here’s my meme. Enjoy 🙂

 

6 thoughts on “Assignment #3 – art Is memes”

  1. Good Work, I see the beginnings of a great work in progress!
    Lets keep going!
    Its important to keep referring to the assignment details as there are a few key aspects that you did not address and or refer to in your post. Thats ok, as this is the beauty of wordpress, we can always add more content as we go and update our posts! Keep me posted on your updates 🙂

  2. Hey Brandon,

    Excellent examples and resources that prove your statement about memes being a form of Art. Many might argue that meme’s is not Art. Still, like mentioned in your definition of Art, it’s “an expression or application of human creative skill and imagination.” I see memes as a creative imagination because we can express our thoughts and creativity through them. I like when you said, “Art in all forms is constantly evolving. Memes are a new evolution of Art in the 21st century”. This statement proves that Art is not defined by what many people think of it, but it’s an evolution that proves itself in the near future.

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