https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HyrrmesSK-0
What is art? The Mona Lisa? A photograph? Or an unmade bed? Or can DJs and emcees be considered art too? The Royal Academy of Arts in London certainly did when they asked Kool London to “exhibit” in 2013.
Some context — Kool London started as underground Jungle station Kool FM back in 1991. And after going legal back in 2008, the website broadcasts 24/7 and has a growing archive of shows.
Is DJing art?
This is an old video that I’ve just seen for the first time, but it has made me think about the classification of DJing. I’ve looked up many different definitions but most can be interpreted to show that just about anything can be art. But this is Google’s definition:
“the expression or application of human creative skill and imagination, typically in a visual form such as painting or sculpture, producing works to be appreciated primarily for their beauty or emotional power.”
…which I guess pretty accurately sums up DJs and emcees vibing off of each other to make a creative aural and visual performance right?
Traditionally, people would just dance to DJs. But the whole performance element is growing all the time, to the point where people stop dancing and start looking instead — which traditionally is what we do with art. See what I mean? It’s easy to define what we do as art, especially when we bring together raw materials to paint a picture with beats, or hew an audio sculpture with rhymes.
What about you? Do you see yourself as an artist?
Wow. Well I can say first hand that the ’97 Super Sharp Sunday rinse-out sessions with Skibba, Shabba, Det and Shocking were sublime. The video is really touching, and of course it’s art – everything is art in an art gallery, right? Big up Kelly in Harlow!
DJing itself varies between being little more than a service to being a full on artiste. A Top 40 wedding DJ vs DJ Shadow doing an obscure 45 set? People will be dancing to the wedding DJ but not necessarily to Shadow (chin strokes abound, though) – so one has done their apparent job of ‘making people dance’ whilst another has crafted a performance that people can enjoy on their own terms. Is that art?
Simply,yes.This is like the Warhol vs DaVinci Arguments….However the question should be “what do you want to be known as?” in said art.A master Craftsman,for example,can build a perfect,steady beautiful House.But can he ‘Render,or Design a Beautiful house? Some can,most cannot.And while ‘both’ are artist per’ say,The Genius is awarded more so to the bearer of the concept-the wit of the work,regardless of any medium.Do you emulate what other professionals also do,as like ‘Wedding DJ’s’?-or,are you an independent Visionary who see’s more and past the boundaries of the artform you have chosen to be in?- Josh Davis,aka DJ Shadow is one of the futurist who have shown the DJ’s and the World what Sonic Collage Manipulation can also be.
I personally don’t like labeling things as Art because it makes me also label things as Not Art. I know this is kind of cliche but in the past year or two I’ve started to see everything as art (or not art) and have found that things like trees the textures of sidewalks are much more interesting and speak to me much more than many artworks. I really love noisy textures and feel much more fulfilled looked at a busted sidewalk than many abstract expressionist paintings (and I love abstract expressionism).
I do think stuff like this is useful though. Saying “this is performance art” makes the audience view the performance differently than if they just said “Here’s the dj playing the chunes!!!!!!”
It allows rich white people to feel okay about liking it as well.
All good stuff.
No, i just play peoples records in a more interesting way than the average Joe
i love jungle :)
“Anything is Art if someone considers it to be so.” – Plato
yes ! I see myself saving lives & artis