Master of the Artworld

The more I think about Danto's Artworld theory the more I go back and forth as to whether or not I agree with it. At times I understand and commend the concept, but then at other times I find myself criticizing it. Lets take a look at both sides of the argument that I have conflicting views of.

I find myself being critical of the concept for the fact that no one could be a complete master at things, especially art. Art theory is an ever changing topic. It changes based on a new form, category, expression, property etc. So no one could know everything about art due to it being so ambiguous. I then find myself on the other side of the spectrum when I am needed to be more logical. Like I said before no one can know everything about anything. It is natural, life is ever changing. But, Danto never exactly did imply that a member of the artworld has t know down to every single detail of things. He said that they should know the subject and the history behind it. When we look at doctors, lawyers, teachers and any profession out there, they are members of the artoworld in the institution that they work in, however they get by by just knowing the basics and by constantly being informed about the changes in their subject.

I believe that what Danto was trying to get across is that we at least need a background. A person who has never seen opera before and attended their first one can't be a critic of opera. They don't know the components of opera, nor do they know what to base it off of. Up to a point we are all members of an artworld. For example, I am being taught how to make films/documentaries/movies. Up to a point I am a member of the artworld of the communications institution because I have basic knowledge of how the topic functions. It does depend on how you look at Danto's claim and how you process it.

My question is, Are their hierarchies in the artworld? Up to a certain point I know things about a particular topic, but I am being taught by someone who knows more than me; some one ho has been in the the artworld longer and know more history behind it as is the same with his teacher before him. So contemplate that question and blog if you'd like.