I am thinking about the matter of what is "Art" in this context... is it work that involves "cultural expression"?

I certainly don't care for the idea of art as "personal expression" but maybe a chair that is art differs from a chair that is not art by its "cultural expression". Even if it did not bespeak cultural significance at the time it was made cultural significance can be ascribed to it at any time after the fact and this will make it art... thus Papua New Gionea Lime Spoons and early twentieth century French urinals in the museums.

How can "cultural expression" be defined? Something invested with cultural significance in the literal sense of the word? That is it represents or embodies or elicits reaction or consideration in terms of the society in which it exists or in which it was created? Non-art being artifacts and other things lacking in cultural significance, import and interest? Things having no penumbra of association or significance in terms of culture or tradition?

I still say porn is stuff you don't look at with your parents in the room. Erotica is pornography you can attempt to justify on the basis of its cultural or aesthetic significance. Practically speaking the difference between erotica and porn in the US most often comes down to penetration or clinical detail although there are exceptions both ways although many people still say the true difference between them is sharp focus and soft focus... put vasoline on your lens and anything you point your camera is art. The post modern version is any image is art so long as it is twenty-six square feet or larger in surface area. I once tested this with enormous wall sized blow ups of photographs of a plastic hamburger squeaky toy for dogs... a very well received exhibition it was! At the time my paintings of nudes were shockingly retardatar expressions of my Philistinism and naivite.

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In its pejorative sense I would apply the word pornography to images of more than two kittens in a basket at once, especially if they have ribbons tied in bows around their necks. Likewise looped video of war atrocities exhibited in an empty art gallery.