Taryn McClelland

The infrastructure of a city can tell a lot about its history. For instance, the Ambassador Bridge was constructed as a more efficient way to transport people from America to Canada, and vice versa. This was as a result of the massive amount of trade between the two countries, and travelling by ferries and boats was a very slow process. While the history contributes to the artistry of this bridge, the design is the main component of art that is displayed. The lights that shine on the bridge and reflect on the water at night, the huge poles with crisscross designs, and the length of the bridge itself all show the creative skill used in the making of this infrastructure. To this day, this bridge can be appreciated for improving transportation, trade, and for its power. It connects two countries, and its complex design demonstrates the large amount of effort put into constructing it, and making it successful. I have family that lives in Canada, and I’ve seen this bridge on many occasions as I go to visit them. I have many memories of walking by the riverside and of going across it. These different perspectives make me think about why the designers built it this way and how it has impacted the two countries it connects.

Musical theater is one of the most entertaining forms of art. It combines the components of singing, dancing, and acting into one big production. A couple of the most important factors include the art of facial expression and rhythmic movements. The actors and actresses need to be constantly aware of their surroundings and how these components are impacting the overall message. In this particular musical, Come From Away, the above GIF image depicts these people rejoicing and elated about a recent event. The way they are moving their hands and squinting their eyes reveals to the viewer their current emotions. It’s very easy to appreciate this form of art because of the simplicity of the communication. Viewers can tell, without much thought, how the actor or actress may be feeling, regardless of if that person is speaking. Additionally, this creates a powerful message because of the engagement of the audience. Because a musical theater production is constantly adding onto the message of the story, the audience pays close attention to the small details that take place. 

Apple’s design of their operating systems is easily considered art. The different shapes, colors, curves, and fonts used all around the software creates an amazing experience for its users. Something that Apple continues to focus on year after year in their new devices is the ease of use, but without sacrificing the usefulness of features. This is something that other smartphone companies don’t pursue nearly as much as Apple does. Other companies seem to focus on adding many features, but Apple has their focus on simplicity. Because of the beautiful nature and appreciation that users have for the experience of owning an Apple product is why their software should definitely be considered to be art.

I agree that the software Apple uses can be considered art, seeing as it’s a visual representation of the format people desire their phones to have. In addition, I also believe that art can be as simplistic or complicated as the artists need it to be. While you mention how Apple has a basic layout of its software, I think it would be beneficial to the viewer to understand why the software of other companies either isn’t a form of art or what software companies, in particular, have these complex features. 

Baking is one of my favorite forms of art. It’s something that everyone is capable of trying. Personally, I’m not very experienced, but I enjoy making simple recipes, such as chocolate chip cookies. This particular form of art helps the artists, in this case bakers, to learn from their mistakes. Sometimes, you may find that you overcooked your dish or that you should’ve mixed two ingredients together instead of adding them separately. For example, many photographers will take pictures of their models from many different angles in different locations. They are able to change these two components in order to capture the best pictures. Likewise, bakers are able to change the amounts of the ingredients that they use, or change some of the ingredients entirely, in order to create the greatest result. Also, as a photographer is able to utilize their creativity and judgment to determine what works best, bakers are able to alter their recipes, in order to create a product that they believe tastes the best.

This piece of code is a great example of something called abstraction. When a human analyzes a list of five numbers, it doesn’t seem very complicated to put them in order from least to greatest. We can easily see the end result, but fail to understand the real logic behind getting there. This code shows the complicated nature of comparing each and every number to the others. Although this seems like a lot of work for sorting a five item list, this function becomes very useful if you wanted to sort through a list of thousands of values very quickly. This is a great example of art, because everyone can see the face-value of this function and say that its output isn’t anything special. However, there are also those who will take a moment to understand the complex nature and beauty in creating such an algorithm. A piece of well written code becomes art to those who understand the rigor of creating it.

I agree that this piece of code can be considered art, due to the intricate process behind it. A single line doesn’t say a lot, but when I look at the bigger picture, I can see how these small pieces are woven together to compose something that’s quite practical. However, I believe that coding is an art in and of itself, as a result of the creativity and skill it requires. While some people may not understand the complications of it, I don’t believe that it can simply “become art.” The amount of deliberation put into a piece of code can impact how the viewer responds. I believe that the process behind creating this algorithm is a form of art from the beginning, rather than based on someone’s opinion.

One form of art that teenagers, in particular, enjoy is fast food. While food is a necessity for our survival, it tends to make a statement about culture. In modern day America, the vast majority of people fill their schedules, leaving little time to cook in between events. Many teenagers enjoy going to fast food restaurants with their friends, whether it be between school and practice, a time filler, or if they need to eat at a different time than their parents. Personally, I go out to eat at McDonald’s with my friends quite often. It’s a convenient way to spend time with them, especially because it fits in with the busy schedules we have during the school week. However, when I was younger, I always sat down to eat dinner with my family. We ate out once or twice a week at maximum. As the years have gone by, I’ve seen a distinct change because our schedules began to conflict. The history of eating a meal, whether at home with your family or at a fast food restaurant, can be considered a form of art as a result of the impact it has on society.