The definition of art is elusive. Art can be so many, and yet it can be so little. Ask 100 people to define art, and you’ll get 1000 answers. Out of those answers, only a minute fraction could be true.
Wikipedia defines art as “an aesthetic item or artistic creation” such as:
- an example of fine art, such as a painting or sculpture
- a fine work of architecture or landscape design
- an object that has been designed specifically for its aesthetic appeal, such as a piece of jewelry
- an object that has been designed for aesthetic appeal as well as functional purpose, such as a table lamp
- a photograph, film or visual computer program
- a work of conceptual art or performance art
- a production of live performance, such as theater, ballet or opera
- an interactive game
Going by this definition, cosplay can easily be considered an art, but this is coming from Wikipedia. I think the dragon in my pants is brimming with aesthetic appeal, but drawing it on walls won’t score me a spot in a museum.
Delving deeper into what is considered an “artwork”, we find three elements of art: subject, form, and content. These three are defined by one collegiate website as such:
Works of art have subject, form and content. We often identify a work by its subject: a landscape painting, a sculpture of a young woman, a lithograph of a cat. Form (or design), is the visual organization of the art work -how the artist has used line, shape, value, color, etc. Content is the impact or meaning of this work.
Cosplay has a subject, namely the cosplayer who is wearing a costume based on a fictional character concocted by someone else. Cosplay clearly has form, though it would be great if it had none and hot female cosplayers were all wearing see-through shirts and underwear. Does cosplay have content? Now that’s a criteria which is hard to please.
The only meaning I can derive from cosplay is the cosplayer saying “Look at me! Take pictures of me! I don’t have friends in real life!” It’s ridiculous how they say they cosplay to express. Express what? How big of losers they are? How they have nothing better to do with their lives? That they’re social misfits who will never contribute to the greater good?
At this point, it looks like cosplay as an art is still arguable. Well, let’s have some visuals in here and see whether cosplay can be taken seriously like, say, the Mona Lisa.
This is art:
Now, this is cosplay:
I rest my case.
Incoming search terms:
- gustav klimt adele bloch ba
- description for cosplay art
- gustav klimt
- rubber sheets pang cosplay
- gustav klimt paintings
- gustav klimt original
- gustav klimt adele bloch bauer
- cosplay definition
- five paintings by gustav klimt
- cosplay not an art
- tao naghahanap ng mga kababaihan sa email online
There are cosplay photographs that express the three elements of art. The examples you gave are just trash. This article is pretty one-sided in my opinion.
Well-loved. Like or Dislike:
16 
1
But then you’ll have to give credit to photography, not cosplay.
Well-loved. Like or Dislike:
9 
4
I agree that the examples shown up there in the article were trash. But since we ARE talking about cosplay in the Philippines, it’s not unusual to see outputs of this quality.
There are good ones with actual CONTENT, but they’re pretty rare XD
And the greater quantity of ‘em good cosplay photography are from the other countries.
Hot debate. What do you think?
6 
3
Also, I think cosplay is best judged when you can see the cosplayer with your own two eyes and not through photos.
Photography’s like… just some sort of “amplifier” or something XD
It can make a bad/good cosplay look better or worse.
Well-loved. Like or Dislike:
13 
0
In the case of a “good cosplay photo”, the artwork is the photograph, the subject is the cosplayer, the form is the composition, and the content is whatever the photo is trying to convey, if any.
Well-loved. Like or Dislike:
17 
0
I know some cosplayers who lives with this reason:
“I cosplayed because I want to change my life.”
from a loser to instant celebrity.
I’m not saying that it’s a crime to “CHANGE” yourself.
but, cosplay? now, that’s hilarious.
another derp shit, COSPLAYING ONCE.. then they will start to create their FB pages.
sounds like.. ”I just want a name.”
Well-loved. Like or Dislike:
18 
3
ART? lol. I don’t know.
I’m an art student, I think creating your own “props” is a work for craftsmen.
kung, ikaw mismo siguro yung naka-isip ng design siguro art yun. pero.. may kopya ka na, gagayahin mo na lang..
quality na lang yung labanan.
portrayal? psssh.
ALODIA FAILS PORTRAYING MIWAKO.
meaning, they are just wearing the costume,
not in character.. just for the sake of:
“please post my face all over the net~”
wala, walang kwenta.
“I;m enjoying this since, I can meet a lot of people.”
ah. so ang cosplay scene ngayon tungkoo na lang sa mga timang na “I need friends.” I don’t know o__o
di naman masama.
ang korni lang pakinggan, wala na bang iba like:
“kailangan ko mag-cosplay, mamamatay na kasi ako next week.”
ewan.
Well-loved. Like or Dislike:
14 
3
Art is done by people who wants to express something not just by using words. Cosplay can be considered as an art. But some take the “art=cosplay” too much that they express too much as well. or simply they expressed it in a wrong way , I know some might misunderstand on how they express it. But maybe they had a wrong approach, giving a wrong impression for them.
Or simply, some may not consider this an art but just for fun. yet some have TOO MUCH FUN.
In this case, cosplay can be an art, if you express it as an ART.
Well-loved. Like or Dislike:
9 
1
These days anything can be called art. I mean people spit paint on an empty canvas and “VIOLA!” ART!
So get a random junkie take a pic of them in drag. “ART”.
Who knows, nobody really cares about these details anymore, as long as one enjoys the end product then that is the point of it. And if someone does care about these details… That person would have to get his head checked.
Well-loved. Like or Dislike:
7 
1
“These days anything can be called art. I mean people spit paint on an empty canvas and “VIOLA!” ART!”
^This. Same goes to Mideo Cruz’s controversial exhibit months ago, which caused a shitstorm here.
Well-loved. Like or Dislike:
4 
0
I guess it depends on the person and his own definition of art.
Well-loved. Like or Dislike:
6 
0
Indeed, some like his so called “art”, cosplay could also offend some people with their “art”.
Like what shadowkiller X3 says, it all depends on the person.
So in the end, just do your thing to impress and not make a mockery. And when I say impress, it does not mean whoring out to fap boys or attention seeking for fame, but doing something impressive with whatever it is you are doing. Even if it is just for impressing yourself. The self satisfaction and the fun from the activity in the end is all that matters.
Well-loved. Like or Dislike:
5 
0
people are yet to be convinced that cosplaying is an art. the closest thing that cosplaying could be an art is on acting. i don’t see any difference between non cosplay acting with cosplay acting. i feel that cosplayers hunger for so much acceptance and attention that they blindly just claim that cosplaying is an art.
let’s look at it this way. the usual statement goes: “cosplaying is a form of self expression therefore it is art.” so by that, what medium does it channel the “art” part of it? be it costumery, photography, etc. cosplaying can’t be a medium of its own. just my opinion regarding this.
i just hate cosplayers forcing the idea of it being an art. they’re so hung up on it that they forget what it is really about.
Well-loved. Like or Dislike:
8 
3
Hm, cosplay as an art form. They usually rest this claim on the “art of portrayal”. So, yes, I believe that validates your idea of it being an incomplete art form – only in so far as the acting. Then again, not everyone does the other half of cosplay. More often than not, it’s just COS, no Play. So still very questionable.
Well-loved. Like or Dislike:
8 
0
cosplay = art
porn = art
therefore,
cosplay = porn
Well-loved. Like or Dislike:
17 
6
lol, napabalik ako dun sa Logic class ko in college with this!
Well-loved. Like or Dislike:
8 
1
btw, what’s the name of the guy in the last picture? He looks familiar.
Like or Dislike:
3 
0
that’s Dranzer.
Like or Dislike:
3 
0
Hmmm, to answer the question, I see two sides of the coin here, in a way, cosplay could possibly be an art, and on the other side, no.
That’s what I think.
Like or Dislike:
4 
1
In some Aspects you can call Cosplay or even consider it as a form of art, but the thing is. In the current Cosplay Community of today all these cosplayers are doing is the COStume part and totally forgetting the other half. You can’t call cosplay art if all you do is put on a costume you have to show how you portray it and make it fit into the three things a piece of art has namely, Subject, Form and Content. Cosplay being considered an art still has a ways to go and lots and lots of debates.
Like or Dislike:
3 
3
Here’s what happening
Newbie: *napadaan sa SM* Ooh! WOW! ang cute ng costumes nila.. ooh wow! andaming nag papa picture! sana ako rin!
*next day* googles: Top 10 Famous Cosplay Costumes
*next day* (nag pnta sa patahian) ATE! pakigawa nga tong costume na to.
*next month* HI GUYS! IM NEW HERE!
Pervographer: *takes picture*
—-
and so on…
Newbie (Now Cosplayer): OOOH! Sikat na ko! *makes his/her own fanpage*
*posted on account: Sorry guys puno na ang requests ko, like nyo nlng page ko!* (although d namn.)
masakit pa nyan, katagalan magugulat ka eedit nya profile nya. lalagay nya sa Languages nya: Japanese
o kaya location: Japan
fucking prick.
Well-loved. Like or Dislike:
21 
1
ganun na nga yung kalakaran ngayon. it sucks.
Well-loved. Like or Dislike:
4 
0
madami akong klalang mas sikat na cosplayer wala namang fanpage. sukcs sa mga bago. FEELING
Well-loved. Like or Dislike:
7 
0
Would you make your profile info like Chico has stated if you’re in the corporate world? Hell no! Your boss, as well as your co-workers would laugh at you.
Like or Dislike:
3 
0
Where’s the ART here? all I can see is something like a pageant, or parang carshow lang. show off ng stuff or costume that you have.
Noon, pag sinabi mong Cosplayer isa lang papasok sa isip mo: Craftman, Artistic, Machaga mag glue ng rubber sheets
Ngayon dinadaan nlng sa mananahi, bibigyan nlang ng reference image si manang, at viola! Cosplayer na sha!
Hot debate. What do you think?
6 
3
I think cosplay [i]at least[/i] passes subject and form. As an art student, I think “costume play” or cosplay can fall under fashion or mostly theatrical aesthetics. Thus, it’s a bare minimum or a must to be ‘in-character’ (acting as his/her character for short) in most of the duration when a cosplayer is ‘cosplaying’.
That’s why if a cosplayer is posing/acting like “cute” and “sexy” whereas their character in the series is actually the complete opposite, I wouldn’t consider that cosplay. Thus, there’s no “art” in that. =\ Maybe fanservice or “trip”. But not art.
What’s questionable in Philippine cosplay is the ‘content’. What do the cosplayers want to express? With cosplay slowly being mainstream, here are the most obvious reasons :
1. Being part of the trend
2. Stepping stone to ‘fame’
3. Means for attention
4. Exhibition of craftsmanship (props / costume making)
5. Genuine love for the character / series ( in short, geekiness)
With 4 and 5 being very scarce amongst the community.
IMO, you can call it an “art”, depending on the content and form, it may as well be rotten art or not art at all.
Well-loved. Like or Dislike:
10 
0
Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.
Poorly-rated. Like or Dislike:
0 
9
kelan ba naging maayos yang girl-beater na humahampas ng lightstand? Mukha siyang bakla with that ridiculous brooch thing.
Hot debate. What do you think?
6 
6
Wow ha. Daming Dislike. HELLO WHITEKNIGHTTARDS!
Well-loved. Like or Dislike:
6 
0
Why so bias? Cosplay is an art, it just so happens that the writer is a hater so he ended up posting shitty pictures. Wala na kasing maisip maipost si GT, basta masiraan lang ang cosplay ng Pinas. Kung magccritic ka man tungkol sa Cosplay, tanggalin mo muna lahat ng bias sa katawan mo. Tignan mo mga reklamo ng tao, puro MALING PIC nilagay mo, tama nga naman diba?
P.S. Para kang batang naghahanap ng kakampi para lang manira :)) Sa pagkakaalam ko mga insecure na babae lang ang ganyan o bata. Yang mga article mo habang tumatagal nagiging walang kwenta na.
Well-loved. Like or Dislike:
12 
5
Can you read?
Hot debate. What do you think?
10 
7
We prefer to call ourselves critics.
We are people who would widen our eyes to see more around us.
Why wouldn’t we crticize the cosplay community?
With so many shit flowing through these days.
People are attention hungry.
Perverts ramping through out the halls.
This is his site.
We just happen to have the similar opinions about cosplay and all that.
Sure GT may be an asshole sometimes but sometimes you have to be an asshole just so you can knock some sense into people.
Its his personal blog. Let him right whatever he wants.
@On topic
Cosplay is art.
When you portray it in the right way.
I personally think Jin Joson is an artist now more than just a cosplayer.
Thats just my opinion.
These days.
The definition of cosplay as an artistic form rapidly loses its original form and transforming it to the status it is today.
Its becoming a place.
A stepping stone to “fame.”
The way how these people obtain this “fame” clearly
shows the inferiority complex that we have as Filipinos.
I mean kungwari.
We criticized Chienna because it clearly shows na she’s not just doing it for fame anymore but the MONEY.
The attention. The way people like her in this community controls the people. Brainwashing perhaps.
Money is fine in this. Pero on how they obtain it isn’t.
I’m not jelly.
Its just that their actions equal that to politicians constructing their CORRUPT government.
Therefore visible na ang corruption sa cosplay community/industry. (LOL I USED INDUSTRY)
We aren’t destroying the community.
We’re trying to help it in a way na sana people would now see na what they are really doing.
We’re benefactors in a way that we’re attempting to wake up the community.
Na may ganito talaga sa PH cosplay.
Pero so far di niyo iniintinde talaga ang sinasabi namin.
Go on.
View us as villains of this community.
We wont stop you.
We’re just giving our 2 cents on this.
Hot debate. What do you think?
14 
13
Here you go with the “we” thing again. You see, MPD has a bad history around these parts. I sure hope you don’t think we’re on the same footing, kid.
Well-loved. Like or Dislike:
25 
0
I think the little boy’s head bloated after the whole Gian thing. He started being a douche just ’cause he knows a lot of people had his back during the issue. Being a Gian hater is different from being a Raya cocksucker. People only had his back ’cause they hated Gian not ’cause they think Raya’s awesome.
To Raya: You’re TL;DR bullshit shows how highly you think of yourself. Bata, marami ka pang kakaining bigas.
Well-loved. Like or Dislike:
18 
1
GT doesn’t want to be your friend Raya :)) he’s so pakipot.
Well-loved. Like or Dislike:
8 
3
Raya enjoys sucking GT’s dick huh.
Hot debate. What do you think?
5 
4
Raya, you don’t have to please GT. Everyone here has different fucking opinions. Don’t generalize “us.” Not all of us are GT nuthuggers like you. Some visit GT’s site just to troll like Wilonah, some enjoys the topics GT brings in, others are well, GT white knights. Each of us are different. Accept that fact. If I have to disagree with GT, I’ll do it and in front of his face (if he really has a face). Well, anyway, fuck it. This will always be a keyboard war.
Well-loved. Like or Dislike:
7 
2
And then, you guys have downvoted Raya, just like what you did to Wilonah and Dee.
Heck, everybody’s a friend to me in the community, so please stop pressing this issue.
Like or Dislike:
4 
1
Kssael, unfortunately not everybody can consider everybody a friend around these parts. Wilonah and Dee long since deserved the thumbsdowns they got everytime they posted kasi many people are turned off by their behavior on and off cons, let alone whatever success they had has gone to their heads. Same case with the countless whiteknights who have tried to put down GT because their idol got nicked so bad (In Alodia’s case, it’s Brashley, Abundelusional, and nobodies like Lady Caebel)
Well-loved. Like or Dislike:
6 
2
You know, Raya, it’s all right to be on the side of justice. HOWEVER, everyone views the concept of justice differently. For example, justice for someone is death to all criminals, for another it’s owning up to your bad deeds, and so on and so forth. Even if we all are on the side of justice, we all don’t have the same view of justice.
In the same way, not all of us think of Alodia as a fame-hungry cosplayer out to destroy the cosplay community. Maybe some of us see her as someone with a severe case of ADHD, or someone who grew up with a troubled childhood, only to get back what was lost from her only now.
Nay, don’t go thinking that everyone will suddenly agree to everything after having everyone’s sympathy with your near-fight against Gian. The world just doesn’t work that way.
Please understand, Raya. Mind the tongue carefully before grouping the lot of us in your opinions.
Like or Dislike:
3 
0
Pero kungsabagay, iba rin kasi kapag Filipino ang wika. Malay mo, ang ibig sabihin ni Raya ng “WE” ay SIYA AT ANG MGA KASAMAHAN NIYA (siguro kasama si Schindlex), sila lang at hindi tayo. Magkaiba ang “KAMI” at “TAYO,” right? But both are translated “WE.” My point – using another language, that is our native tongue, may express different meaning than in the universal language.
Don’t be shy to use Filipino language in our discussions here. That won’t make you inferior to others. Paalala lang po. If someone out there who will have a blog page about cosplay in the Philippines in Filipino language, much OK. Mas gusto ko na makita ang mga blog posts ni GT sa sarili nating wika. Look at Conrado de Quiros of Inquirer, if he’s fucking mad, he will write in Filipino language.
Well-loved. Like or Dislike:
4 
0
Mahirap din kasi pag may non-Filipino visitor na nagtatanong palagi. So ginagamit ko ang universal language para maunawaan ng lahat. Pero kung sabagay, taking in the context of ‘we’ sa Filipino, dalawa din ang makukuha natin, tulad ng sinasabi mo.
I do not want to think that Raya is getting… should I say, ‘cocky’… after the Gian incident, pero ibang usapan na pag ganyan nga.
Like or Dislike:
3 
0
@Blitz since I can’t reply back directly:
I’ve started befriending Sir Raymond because I was frequently buying some Pocky which are not available in the supermarket nearest my place. I’ve started befriending Abundo because we share common interests in games and whatnot. I also got introduced to some of the CPG guys, especially Kira and Richie.
After the Ashley and Alodia Christmas Party, I’ve become friends with some of the members of the Official 7. I’ve also been friends with Dee for almost a year. I also got introduced to Schindlex and Wilonah in the Women Of Cosplay event in SM Markina five months ago, thanks to those guys. I also got introduced to the gang of Anime Sky, especially the Rasta guy.
I also had my untimely encounter with Gian where he said the same exact words to Raya, but I’m the kind of person who would turn the other cheek. Later on, I would casually greet him online and he would warmly reply back.
And my point here is that, I’ve observed, conversed with, and been friends with both camps mentioned in this site. In the end, we’re just equal human beings. We all have our human dignity, no matter how dark our lives are. That’s why I treat everyone in the community as a friend. I don’t like to see another riot or fight happening sometime because it will offend those who are new to the cosplay community, especially first-time congoers.
Whew, that was lengthy! :D
Well-loved. Like or Dislike:
5 
0
https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/s720x720/297500_236777969720327_100001643783553_753300_1898315302_n.jpg
Like or Dislike:
4 
3
Art is subjective. Kung anong cinoconsider ko na art may not be art to another person (kagaya ng Marcel Fountain ni Duchamp). Though most cosplay na nakikita ko walang content (puro pacute) tas yung aesthetic aspect man lang hindi pinapansin. Hindi yung for the sake na may masuot ka lang na costume sa event.
Well-loved. Like or Dislike:
4 
0
Sa totoo lang, kaya ko nilagay itong video dahil isa akong hater. Para may maipost lang. Wala na akong maisip maipost dito, basta siraan lang ang cosplay.
Basta may macritic lang tungkol sa Cosplay, masaya na ako. Makita ko lang mga reklamo ng mga tao, masaya na ako.
Isa akong batang naghahanap ng kakampi para lang manira. Papansin lang ako. Insecure ako sa kanila. Habang tumatagal, nagiging walang kwenta lahat ng ginagawa ko. Pangit ako. Pangit!
Hot debate. What do you think?
6 
7
Not really man, I love the Cosplay Community pero marami rin akong reklamo :)
Like or Dislike:
3 
1
Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.
Poorly-rated. Like or Dislike:
2 
6
Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.
Poorly-rated. Like or Dislike:
0 
4
agree,, specialy the cosplay arto f cosplaying
vocaloid???
anung connect??? pacute lng,,di naman naiitindhan lyrics eh
Well-loved. Like or Dislike:
4 
0
HOHOHO Foo this ain’t ART. tangina lahat lng naman diyan sa cosplay na yan pasikat eh!
Hot debate. What do you think?
6 
4
“tangina lahat lng naman diyan sa cosplay na yan pasikat eh!”
like you, Fail Gay? BURN!
Like or Dislike:
1 
2
You can’t call cosplay an art unless you give soul to the character you’re portraying.
Other than that, it’s just you wearing props and whoring around for the cameras.
Good day.
Well-loved. Like or Dislike:
8 
0
cosplay was never an art in the first place. it’s plain showing your devotion to the fictional characters you love.
Well-loved. Like or Dislike:
10 
2
plain and simple as that. no need to complicate the hobby into that, right?
Like or Dislike:
4 
1
There is an art to it, in the sense that you’re trying to make something aesthetically beautiful, be it props or your clothing, but yeah. That should always stand side-by-side with being a fan to begin with.
Shows why most new cosplays tend to be lackluster. There’s no fan factor. You’re not interested in who you’re dressing up as, and thus you don’t put your soul into looking and being the part.
Like or Dislike:
3 
0
I might say I feel a bit confused about cosplay as an “art”. Since you have to be accurate on making your costume. Though when someone makes the costume on their own, it may be considered as a work of art maybe something in the lines of Fan Art?
In cosplay photography there are actually tasteful one’s. But I agree often that they take advantage of this coz they don’t have the power or skill to take it another level such as working with actual stylists, make up artists, creative directors etc. People have to know that there is more than just a person wearing a costume when taking cosplay as an art. There’s the production, how they’re going to execute it and stuff.
I believe that there is art in cosplay. But they are two types, one’s that are beautifully done or just really badly done, you can’t even call it abstrat to even call iart.
Well-loved. Like or Dislike:
4 
0
Cosplay is a hobby not an art! :))
Well-loved. Like or Dislike:
9 
1
natuwa ako sa reply ni GT kay Raya!! buwahahah!! ok na ako dun!!
Well-loved. Like or Dislike:
6 
0
At first, I’m thinking that Raya is generalizing us, too. But then I realized that the universal language and our native tongues are different. I hope that I’m right that he’s just pertaining “WE” to himself, Raya and his colleagues, “KAMI” instead of “TAYO.” So for crying out loud, WAG MAHIYA MAGSALITA NG FILIPINO. Never mind the foreigners who wants to know the sinister happenings in our cosplay community. If they want to know it, LET THEM LEARN OUR LANGUAGE.
Like or Dislike:
4 
1
*raises hand* gian’s pic scares me, cosplay is a low form of art (according to my dad) and this article for me is worth reading bcuz of the comments. and raya just became a little bit douchey due to everone praising him for a one-time incident. for your own sake wag lumaki ulo mo boy! XD
Like or Dislike:
5 
2
Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.
Poorly-rated. Like or Dislike:
0 
5
>-> get a life… what kind of “art” is that? not worth any our time. Hobby lang namin pumunta dito para tumawa sa inyo
Like or Dislike:
3 
0
Retard..
Like or Dislike:
2 
0
5th pic. na stigmatized dahil nabutas ang palad?
Like or Dislike:
3 
0