What's the difference between art and pornography?

Question

Some artworks contain explicit images which could possibly be mistaken for porn, and some pornorgraphy might have used 'art' as an excuse for its creation. How then would the viewer be able to tell the difference between art and porn?

Answer 1

What is pornography is a different individual definition for each person, but there are societal standards that we can use. Pornography is made to stimulate on a purely carnal level, to debase people. It is addicting and feels dirty. Some works of art depict the human body, but not for purposes of sexual stimulation. They are not intended to degrade, but rather to uplift. I could also argue that pornography is created with the primary motivation to make money by feeding people's carnality, while art is often created without monetary motivation in mind. At the level of the individual viewer, anything that makes a person feel dirty, inappropriate, or uncomfortable, or stimulates that person to be vulgar and less than they are, is pornography. It can be recognized by the ugly feeling that accompanies it. If we listen to our gut, we can feel what's good and what's bad.

Answer 2

2

Answer 3

Art Or Pornography

Answer 4

You can not make a comparison between the two categories. Art is too broad. On the other hand, porn being more specific can be considered art as well. Your question is like comparing music with Jazz or Music to Rock. Andy Warhol was very famous for his pornographic art. Perhaps the question could be asked differently? Can art be offensive? Yes! Can art be distasteful? Yes! Can art be crap? Yes! Can art be beautiful? Yes! An artist can be looking at an emotion or a message that they are trying capture or send. Good or bad it's still art!

Answer 5

Intent is the real difference. Definitely not judgment. Someone might judge erotic art to be pornography due to lack of experience, or inability to understand the original intent. But yeah, the truth behind expression lies in intent.

Answer 6

in my opinion porn is where there are two people involved in a sexual act on camera. if a girl/guy is solo in a photo (not video) and depending on the pose that they're in nudity can be a beautiful art form. ancients did explicit art perfectly and their stuff is still on display all around the world. there are numerous paintings (sistine chapel, vetruvian man etc.) that contain nudity and yet are regarded as some of the greatest works of art ever

Answer 7

boy this is a tough one. I think that you would have to first define what art is. I can think of lots of example of art that blurs the line between art and porno, such as many of Picasso's art, or Henry Miller novels, and i have seen things that were obviously porno that were beautifully done. I guess it like those little ceramic dolls and painted plates that you can buy from magazine adds are to art what nasty magazines and website are to porno, (if that make any sense). I guess what i am trying to say is it is a question of tastefulness. Porno can be art and art can be porno and porno can be just porno and art can just be tacky arts and crafts.

Answer 8

Art is something you can leave on the coffee table when people come over for Christmas, Porn is something you should pick up before they get to the door.

Answer 9

That silly Supreme Court judge Potter Stewart said he'd know it when he saw it, but that was his attempt to define obscenity.

Personally, I do not see any difference between art and pornography.

I don't think any one person's morals should dictate what the rest of us are allowed to see. Too much like the thought police of George Orwell's Big Brother.

Answer 10

stolen ones are called Arts