I run into many sites that judge music, movies, plays... art in general, and I was wondering where the basis of their judgement lies. Also, I got to thinking that it would be pretty convenient if there were some universal measures by which all people judge art.
Here's what I've come up with --
The first, most obvious criteria is whether the person likes the work. This is pretty subjective for sure, but it makes the most sense. If the work of art has some sort of aesthetic appeal to the beholder than it will likely win a few points with that person.
The second notion I had was the concept of art as a tool. Art mas a purpose. It simply always does. Perhaps 'good' art is art with a higher purpose or art that accomplishes it's purpose well.
To me, art is a tool and sometimes a weapon. It is a functional thing with which the artist or the patron of the artist accomplishes the goal behind the work's purpose. That purpose could be as simple as expressing a single emotion. It's purpose could be to teach, make a point, or comment on an event, behavior, or way of living life. It can be anything...
If I sing a song to make some point about soceity, and it changes the way a Nation looks at a single issue, than I have written and sung a 'good' song. Likewise, if my song causes a change, but that change is something felt only in the sphere of music, it is 'good' because it caused that change, but the change was smaller, so shouldn't it be less 'good?' Finally, what if I have a work of art that causes a great, sweeping change, and is thus pronounced 'good,' but when we look back from a later time we see that the change was really a negative one?... what then?
Then the art is this powerful and effective tool used by many to effect wide-spread change, so for that it is inspiring, but because it has a negative impact it is dreadful or notorious.
So, I have two measures for weighing the 'goodness' of art. There are probably more, so I am going to keep this open for updates containing more thought and perhaps more criteria.
Feel free to help me out.