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Indeed, Francis! Indeed.
-Prof. S.
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A quick note on procedure: your honest reactions go here, under COMMENTS. At least one and a half paragraphs, minimum (unless you choose some other cool form of linguistic communication). If you liked it, or not…tell us…whatever you think. Also, if you noted sounds that occurred in the room, naturally; let us know what they were.
Remember: your homework is to play 4’33” once more, with one or more other people present, and note their reactions. Also, to note *YOUR OWN REACTIONS* upon watching it a second time.
In my opinion, this is art, because its “Creativity out of Nothing.” I feel like John Cage uses the sounds around him as “music”(the people whispering and a person coughing). And this can force your mind to make your own “art piece.” Telling yourself that you can do this too.
In response to the statement “That’s not art… or is it”, is in my opinion a very carefully structured piece of work. The pianist is introduced as a performer and takes a bow following an applause from his audience. He breaks down his performance into 3 carefully timed movements. An effort is shown enclosing the piano and stopping his timer. My dad believes his full intention was to create a “structured silence” where the audience was expecting to hear music, and ends up listening to the sounds you hear in the silence.
I guess you could say John Cage’s main motive was to give the crowd a performance of their own. What I mean by that is the audience is the main performers of the show. Whether it was coughing, clearing their throat or just admiring the silence John Cage presented them.
I personally believe this to be art. At the beginning of the video we see a quote by John Cage “Everything we do is music.” . He demonstrates his point in the “music” of the video, people clearing their throats and zipping bags. Those sounds or noises became the music at that point. Therefor, each performance the “music” would vary , making it an ever changing piece of art.
I could see plenty of controversy around this along with many debates about calling this art. The fact that those very events are taking place reinforce the idea of this being art for me. Art in itself is controversial and evokes emotion whether the emotions are positive or negative. Therefore “4’33” ” by John Cage is art, well to me at least.
I believe that John Cage’s idea that everything we do is music is an idea artistic within itself, and this performance of “4’33” is a physical representation of that idea. By not actually playing any instruments in all three movements of the score, the audience is inclined by their completely natural feeling of anticipation, to listen intently to the sounds in their surroundings. Although the anticipation isn’t worth it in the sense that no instruments were ever played, it was successful in capturing the audiences attention for a moments that felt anxious, upsetting, and then unending. The audience got to listen to the music Cage intended them to listen to without him ever having to outrightly request that they do so. The sounds of people shifting in chairs, coughing, and grunting was the music; It’s just a bit disgruntling that most people wouldn’t assumed that point of view.
-Bryanna Andrew
Being a lover, and a member I guess you would say, of the art community I see art in everything. I appreciate and acknowledge art everywhere I go. First time I saw it I won’t lie I got very impatient, and when he stood up I started laughing. Mostly because everyones jaw dropped in the room but also it felt like a joke. I was waiting for Professor Schmerler to tell everyone the joke behind it. I left class still laughing at it. I really could not believe that he sat there in silence and had the audacity to call it art. I watched it the second time and I think because I knew what was coming I didn’t get so impatient. I actually listened to the noises. People moving around, someone clearing their throat, what might have been a sniffle or someone sneezing not so sure. How every time he repositioned himself it looked like he was a machine. He never did it differently. His posture was perfect, and I don’t think people know this but when performing that is extremely important.
I want to build off of what Alex said. “Ever changing piece of art” I agree, every time it is performed in front of a different group of people, it’s a new set of sounds, new set of music. In this piece its sneezing in the next it might be someone shushing someone or cell phone going off. All of this which is music in the eyes of john cage.
I believe that this is art. Art comes in many forms. Expected or unexpected. For John Cage 4’33 performance, it was unexpected. Who would of thought sitting down by the piano dressed as a pianist thinking that he would play the best song . But yet, John Cage sits down with the timer to time himself while the audience watches John Cage with silence and patience. After watching this video in English Composition class, most people would agree to the fact that it was a waste of time and didn’t live up to many peoples’ perspective or idea on what they thought it was going to be. Also people needs to wrap their head that the lack of effort in this so called “creativity” can be an icon across the globe. So supposed I wrote my paragraph like this ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….., would this be consider as art?
<<<<<<<<<<<<<YES<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>* ‡
*With some explanation for the reader, first. And only if you, the artist, or someone else who had about as much courage as you, said it was art.
Then, yes, it could be considered art.
‡I am oversimplifying. : )
In my view，it is not art because I think it is just one kind of funny show. Many shows are liked by others ，for interesting and creative process ，and we cannot definte one novel and short-lived thing as art. I think art is forever and it keeps long time. Art as history，it is no right or wrong and not all people would like it，which we cannot explain why it is art.
In my opinion, John Cage strategy of “everything we do is music” shows that we don’t need an instrument to make music or create sounds. This video demonstrates how the audience is constantly making sounds which creates the music even though he is not playing any. Otherwise, when I first saw John Cage’s video, I was confused, in other words, I thought that he forgot what he was going to play. I was asking myself, “Is something supposed to happen?” Afterwards, I realized that the video justified that whatever sound we make is music.
My conductor has always said there is beauty in silence that’s why before every show we stand in silence before every song to show our presence to the audience.