Rex Tremende wrote:

Where does fashion end and art begin? Why is one artist's big mess of something is considered 'art' and mine is considered suitable for the trash heap? (I ask myself this every time I go into a modern art gallery.)

I offer this True Story:

Back in the 80's I was visiting a friend of mine in Berkeley and we visited a modern art exhibit. We walked around a bit and I gestured to a large platform standing empty against one wall. I asked “what is supposed to go there?“ My friend Ben replied “They are just taking down or setting up another piece of art”. We continued our perusal of the modern art. I came across a pile of dust, sticks, string, a crumpled soda can, and a few pieces of paper swept in the corner. I asked Ben “Is this just a rubbish pile waiting to be thrown away or is it art? My friend said “Don’t be stupid. It’s just trash.” He looked at the pile further and thought about it. “Maybe it is art?” he pondered. I pointed out that it didn’t have a little card with a title and author, so it couldn't be art. Ben thought that for art to be defined simply by being anything you put a little card with a title and author was asinine. On our way out we passed the empty platform from the other direction. I tapped my friend on the shoulder and pointed low at the wall next to it. It read: “Platform #247” with a date and an artist’s name. “My God”, Ben whispered. “You did finally define what art is!“

Cheers