What defines art?

Does art have life?

I think it does, the art has life that the artist gives it when it is conceived but it needs more to sustain itself, art only exists to make others think, want to touch, see, feel to be taken in by, to want to own, art has no real purpose other than to stir the souls of others, without this its worthless, has no value. Those that look at the great masters works do so because it wakes them, those that read the great poets do so because the words mean so much, not just sentences on paper. Those that listen to great music do so because its brings them inner peace, stirs them or brings joy.

If though no one looks at your art does it exist as art, if through arrogance your believe your work to be above and beyond all you need not respond to those who appreciate your work what happens when they no longer appreciate?

Without the people who attend the galleries then art would be nothing more than meaningless pieces of work, too many times people here forget that, you need to appreciate the appreciators, without them we are nothing.

(This is in photography because that is the genre I work but this applies to all)