Leo Tolstoy Definition Of Art

Art can be represented in many ways and is differently approached by different artists. One way to define art is by explaining the three factors that are described by Leo Tolstoy. Tolstoy, a Russian writer and philosopher, defined art by three characteristics: individuality, clearness, and sincerity. He refers to individuality as the uniqueness of any work of art. The activity of art is an act where the performer portrays specific emotions that connect with the listener or the person being aimed at .Those feelings must be comparable in which it allows both sides to have related feelings. He decides to represent art as a form of human activity where one tends to express an emotion (Tolstoy,180-179) .Thus, the higher the level of individuality, …show more content…
The citizens narrated a story and expressed their opinions through spray painting the walls of Cairo. A step by step description of the revolution was being drawn, painted, and written on the walls of Egypt which gave the revolution a new way of being understood from a creative and prevailing perspective (Soueif, On Art and Politics). Cairo’s walls became people’s only way to demonstrate how they are feeling about the condition of their beloved country. According to Adhaf Soueif, an Egyptian author and political/cultural reporter, Graffiti helped create a community where people united in order to combine similar thoughts and reactions (Soueif, On Art and Politics). It also created a sense of power and authority from the citizens giving them the right to protest in a way they feel is most effective (Soueif, On Art and Politics). This reveals the concept of “Pictures vs. Words” and how a painted picture can reflect the state of a thousand citizens. John Lennon describes how graffiti was progressing through the revolution in his article “Assembling a Revolution” .One example of this concept is represented by “Ganzeer, Tank vs. Bike and Sad Panda”( 237-238) . This painted graffiti describes how the Egyptian solders (represented by the tank) were killing innocent people (represented by the boy on the bike). It also shows how many people that …show more content…
Not all graffiti artists come from groups of similar styles. In a particular society, more than one group of graffiti artists can be found. These artists compete with each other in order to “mark their territory” and become the wolves of their town. In addition, graffiti artists take risks and challenges to depict their power by targeting dangerous places and areas. Such actions can lead to aggressive behavior and negative influences. Many members get shot, hurt, and even killed. Furthermore, graffiti is still seen as an unacceptable form of art. The society is being torn between the safety of its citizens and by the concept of street art. Many artists are being arrested and taken away from their families as a result of their practice; they are even being beaten up and abused by police officers and other graffiti artists (Hampton,53). In addition, it is argued that graffiti ruins the appearance of the city. Many big countries such as Australia and England have protection rights against graffiti. They believe it is a crime rather than an art(Halsey-168). They have a stereotypical perspective that all graffiti artists are unemployed and come from lower class societies (Halsey-170). According to Mark Halsey, there are two forms of graffiti: graffiti as art and graffiti as vandalism. Graffiti as art is portrayed as a typical form of original