There is no essence or substance that is "art," any more than there is of justice, morality, mercy etcetera. It is a word we use to describe something we appreciate for more than what it actually is or can be used for. Why? That is the focus of many psychological studies, I am sure. What? That will be different depending on each person's personality, what they like and dislike, and all too often such a person's social origin. People have very different ideas about what is art, but even the most close minded of art critics is more in tune with what art is than those who think it can be defined (not to be confused with those people who just want to talk about the phenomenon of art itself, I hasten to add).
Long ago I chose to cut through the trite rhetoric and confused musings with the pseudo-authoritative declaration that "there is no such thing as art, merely varying degrees of stuff".
__________________
| (• ◡•)| (❍ᴥ❍ʋ)
|