Conceptual Art

Questions for Conceptual Art by Tony Godfrey

1) Why is the "viewer" an important element in conceptual art?
-Because of viewer's mental participation. Conceptual art relies on the effect of thought and question from the viewers.

2) Why was it so difficult for people to accept the "fountain" by Duchamp, as art?
-Because it was not accept as a sculpture before the fountain. Everyone thinks that art has to be something beautiful and pleasing to look at. It was also ready-made.

3) What question did Duchamp pose with his "ready-mades"? Explain with examples.
-"Can this be art?" was his question. For instance, the Fountain by Duchamp presents the statement, "this is urinal" as a question Can this urinal be artwork?

4) Why is it difficult to categorize Conceptual art in the context of traditional art?
-It's difficult because it's not art that is based off of tradition or culture. Conceptual art is viewed the same way Duchamp's fountain was viewed.

5) Choose a quote fro mthe article that you find interesting and explain.
-(page 7) if work of conceptual art begins with the question "what is art?", rather than a particular style or medium, one could argue that it is completed by the proposition 'this could be art': 'this' being presented as object, image, performance or idea revealed in some other way.

I chose this one because this tells you how conceptual art is represented.