Art of Not?

Did you take an Art History class in college? I did. I loved the content but fell asleep almost every class period. Do you blame me? 8:00 a.m. in a warm, cozy room with the constant click of a slide projector which provided just the right amount of white noise. I still managed to do well in the class because I studied the textbook and tried to make sense of my notes, which typically trailed into scrawling vines teetering off the edge of my notebook page. In my defense, if I did fall asleep, it wasn't a full out, head-on-the-desk-drooling kind of sleep it was more of the head nod and eye fluttering kind. Somehow I still gleaned some information from each and every lecture.

One lecture in particular stands out to this day. Would you consider this piece of work, "White Square on White" by Kasimir Malevich, art?

If you look closely, you can see the smaller square on an angle. So, is this art? I don't know why but just as I struggled with this concept years ago...I still don't know how I might answer this. Here's my question to you, dear readers (at least 7, according to my "Followers" list. Thanks guys!), what do you think?

And here's an even bigger, earth-changing question. If you would consider the piece above art, what do you think of this?

I drove past this Saturday morning as I left the subdivision. Toilet Papering is not something I've ever done. And I still don't understand the appeal. So, I was thinking about how and why it's such a popular high school prank. And then I was stumbled upon it!

AHA! These virtuosos must be creating their own art using toilet paper as their medium!! It all makes sense now. The lines are ever-changing as the wind blows. Every movement risks more change, especially when a piece or few or two-ply drifts into the next lawn...creating the start of an entirely new collection piece. It's art at its finest: dynamic, pure, and eye-catching.

And let me tell you, these artists were very proud of their newfound talents! The TP crafters left their artistic signature on many lawns and in scores of branches.

So, what do you think? Is it art you can appreciate?

Art photo courtesy of www.ibiblio.org/eldritch/el/mp/m61.jpg