Defining Art on the Web

Art comes from the Latin word ars, which is loosely translated to mean arrangement or arrange. "Art is all creative human endeavors excluding actions directly related to survival and reproduction." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/art

"Art will remain the most astonishing activity of mankind born out of struggle between wisdom and madness, between dream and reality in our mind."

--Magdalena Abakandwicz

Kankouran is an African Dance company in Washington DC. Its students display a performing art called dance. Students show their creativity and emotion through facial expression and body motion either done as a group or alone. Dance is a form of art because of its creativity, and ability to send a message or feeling to its viewers. Either by body movement, facial expression or even the music that is being performed to.
http://www.kankouran.org/cms

Remarkable Current is an Islamic Music production company that provides a service to Musical Artists by helping them in getting their identity out to the Public. These groups of Artist have a message they are trying to send about themselves and the community of Muslims in and out of America. Once again a performing art communicating a message through creativity of written lyrics put to music, and sung in a melody.
http://www.remarkablecurrent.com

Mecca One is an Online Radio Broadcast Network for those who are Muslim, or are interested in the life of Islam that Muslims live. Mecca One just so happens to play the music created by the artists listed above, as well as news and information about Muslim communities. Like most art Mecca One is sending a message. Their goal is to send a positive message about Muslims to non-Muslims, as well as bring Muslims themselves together as a community to show others what we are all about. Allowing us to define ourselves, instead of allowing others to define us. While not even knowing us.
http://meccaone.org/

Mahndimagic is also a website that displays those talents of the Muslims in the community. Henna is a form of art, which is displayed usually on the hands and feet of Muslim women, and often used as a dye for the hair. It takes a creative mind, and steady hand to design, and draw these detailed images. The message each design communicates differs form person to person, and occasion to occasion. Weather a wedding, or just for every day fun. Designs can be simple, to very abstract, ethnic, or even contain Arabic calligraphy. This Visual Art is definitely one that most people find amazingly beautiful.
http://www.riffat.co.uk/

Fine Media Group is one of the very few film production companies that create movies around the Islamic past and present. Recently a film was released about Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and his life in the beginning of Islam. However due to restrictions about Muslim faith and showing images of the prophet the camera was used in such a way to be the prophet (peace be upon him) without actually showing him.
http://www.finemediagroup.com/

It took a genius to come up with this idea. The actors and Actresses themselves, had to be trained in order to focus properly as though speaking, and interacting with someone ( like a real actor or actress, working with a cartoon) all though it is just a camera.

This shows such skill on both the producers and actors alike.

Another performing I art I enjoy oh so much, is a theatrical group called STOMP. They are a team from New York City. Music and everyday sounds we hear around us are created from ordinary objects, and rhythm of feet and body motion. Garbage cans, playing cards, and spoons you name it, and they can make music with it.

With those six down and two to go, I just can not find words to explain how each type of art, is actually art. The general person just knows they like what they see, and that it's like something they never seen before, something that you just can't take your eyes off of. That's art, and you just know it when you see it. Its creative, often a one of a kind beauty.

That's exactly how I'd describe the folk art show at morroccan-arts.com. From furniture, to home décor such as lamps, decorated with henna. This Moroccan art displays beautiful craftsmanship like I've never seen before. Once looking at items like these, you will wonder if you can do them yourself. That is what folk art is all about isn't it. Art created by the untrained Artists.

And last but not least. When I received information about the services that Bridges TV provided I was almost flabbergasted. I'm not a big TV person. I'm a HGTV, and DIY holic. But when I viewed bridges TV, I had to find out how to get that channel through my local satalite provider.

Not having to worry if my children accidentally see adult content, nudity, violence, or just out right ignorant TV programs that provide no educational value, or quality entertainment. I thought it was too good to be true, but not only that, Bridges TV also provides 25 channels' in Arabic so my children can learn that as a second language. They can see other Muslim children on TV just like them. They can see other positive Muslim role models in their community, as well as fun cartoon programs, and daily prayers.

I honestly believe once we have bridges TV, we won't want to watch anything else.

They say "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder." The Websites I viewed show such creativity and communicating of positive messages, providing functions that are needed by the community or persons that market. The question I have is what about those who just by chance happen to see them, and art not in their target market, will they agree that it's beautiful art. Or that " it's only skin deep?"