The saying, “beauty is in the eye of the beholder” serves as a reminder that the way we see the world is very dependent on the identities we hold.

Being students abroad the world, our group has been exposed to difficult cultures, and thus different considerations of what is art and the way in which it is displayed.

Which makes us ask the questions:

Can a church be considered art?

Rugs hanging on a wall in a souk?

 

A contemporary art museum?

Asking critical questions such as these allow us to take a step back and recognize the privileges some countries and cities around the world have in displaying art in a “conventional” form. Additionally, it allows us to think about what exactly it means to be “art”, and the ways in which art can surround us every day.