Seminar: What Is Art?

The essays contained within aim to consider the parameters of art and, in particular, photographic media in the 21st century through a series of conceptual inquiries and prompts, which intersect with and build upon each other.

We all engage with art. Whether we produce it as artists, seek it as viewers, or peripherally interact with it as part of our daily interactions, art relates to each of us and our shared human experiences.

This book serves to unpacks art’s complexities for all audiences, from the most devout practitioners to those simply curious about the topic.

This book culminates from 20 years of Maida teaching art to college and graduate students at a range of institutions including his alma mater, Yale University, as well as leading art colleges in and around New York City…The aim of his courses, like this book, is to provide his students with a deep understanding of what art can be for them, though honing their individual practices, and how they can understand and explain art — including their own — to others.

Ultimately, the key outcome is that his students, and his readers, can determine how art can fulfill them as a central part of a successful creative life of meaning and purpose whether they make art, study art, or simply engage with it as part of their everyday lives.