To continue from Oscar’s post about Banksy, I looked into this circulating email of “Pavement art.” Pavement art, like Banksy, is formed on everyday streets and the particular artist here is Julian Beever. There is a huge debate of whether this is art or not… 

Beever creates “anamorphic illusions” that sit on the pavement, and from the correct angle, appears to be a large 3-dimensional object. Many people ask the question - is this art or is it merely a gimmick? I think that it is art. It may be commercial and a little superficial but it ticks a lot of boxes. It is a similar effect to 3D glasses in the cinema. We all know that cinematography is a contemporary art form, and 3D cinema is a genre of this art form. Therefore this should surely make Beever’s work fit in the same way. Cinematography sometimes gets labelled as a superficial art form, but a lot of thought and hard work goes into this, let alone a keen eye with a special talent. I would love to see any regular member of the public attempt this art form and make a success out of it. It is a niche skill that involves planning, scripting, directing, acting (performance art) and even animating. No doubt there is even more involved. Julian Beever (keeping in mind he is pretty much a one man band) will have to go through his own processes to achieve his artistic goals – and thus fits into this field of contemporary art.

I personally love these images, but for me the question is where does this form sit artistically? Is it art because of the nature of the thought process, the physical materials and the commitment in getting to the end piece? Or, is it photography due to the capture of the composition at the correct angle, the capture of the moment in time where the work existed alongside everyday life or even the aesthetic reactions from the viewers?

"Let's be friends" - An example of purposeful art where Beever creates an image in Tokyo for a TV show to display the beauty of Whales.

I am choosing to go with the controversial concept that the photography (composition concept) is what makes this art piece work. Without this, it would be an everyday graphic design that seems out of proportion, without the required, appropriate thought.
Ideation, process and execution are what makes this a successful art piece and that end result is captured in a single moment with a “click.”