An interesting debate!
I've been struggling with the art thing for a while too.
I work in Birmingham City Centre. A couple of weeks ago we had some guy come and attach a large "birds nest" to the side of the Rotunda, and live in it for a week. One day he was standing on top of it (wearing no safety restraint, but that's just a gripe from being an engineer!), another he was just poking his arms out of it and waving them up and down, another he was attached to some pole and was fully out of the nest, horizonatally, as if taking off. The news turned up and said he was barmy, the arts bods turned up and said it was superb and breathtaking, and most people just walked past shaking their heads. Art? art? "Performing art", apparently. To him I guess it was art. To me, it was someone making a statement in his way, to others he was an idiot.
Have a read of a news story - you'll see the picture of him and his "nest".
Domai has always made me think of the art debate too: Is the naked lady on there art? Is she Art, or an artform unto herself. Is it just porn glorified as art? I'd go for "art". Many others wouldn't
The much acclaimed turner prize: In many peoples books, and, indeed, I must add myself to this camp, usually a load of rubbish, but they are given £40,000 for winning it!
Have a look at this years entries.
Barmy? Or art?
The best summary of art etc that I have ever come up with is that art exists only in our minds - it is not something that can be defined or definitively explained or showcased. It is different for all of us, and our interpretation of other peoples ideas of art is different. Art is a method of expressing ourselves, and/or for allowing others to express themselves.
For me, "art" is the method, "Art" is a particular example of the method that stands out for whatever reason.