Art and Humanities: An Introduction

Lecture 1: Art and Humanities

• The arts and humanities are described as medicine necessary for human life
• Essential for helping people live a more fulfilled life
• At the end of this lecture, a student should be able to distinguish humanities from science as learning fields
• At the end of this lecture, a student should be able understand the Filipino notion of personhood
• Students should also be able to examine the historical context of art as a humanistic discipline
• Students should be able to compare and contrast Western and Filipino concepts of art
• Students should be able to discover Filipino identity through the arts
• Finally, students should be able to apply the Filipino sense of art in appreciating art

Art as a Humanistic Discipline

• Sciences and Humanities are the fields of learning
• Humanities include language, history, art and philosophy
• Humanities are academic disciplines distinct in content and method from physical, biological, and social sciences
• Humanities deals with human phenomena
• Humanities is derived from the Latin word "humanus," which means human, cultured, and refined
• Humanitas is quality distinguishing humans from animals, barbarians, and the uncultured
• Humanism stresses the dignity and worthiness of man, recognizing creative expressions
• Humanities consist of stories, ideas, and words helping people understand their lives and world
• Sanchez explains humanities refers to visual Arts, music, dance, theater and literature
• Humanities are concerned with human thought, feelings, and relations
• The importance of human beings and feelings is central to the humanities

Basic Question in Humanities

• The basic question is humanities refers to the question: Who am I?
• Humanities uses a reflexive method
• Humanities contain records of humanity's search for fundamental questions and answers to the world
• A scientist is described as learning about everything in the world through scientific method
• The idea is that a person should understand themselves first before the world
• The basic answer to the question of who am I is I am a human being
• Being human shows rationality, benevolence and care, culture and refinement and good proper education
• Principles stress the importance of the individuals and specific human needs
• Self-concept has an important role in one's growth and development
• Humanists gain wisdom because of the importance of these principles that stress the importance of the individuals and specific human needs

Ancient Greek Philosophers

• Gaining knowledge is comparable to Thales of Miletus who studied areas of knowledge and explained cosmological events
• Thales fell into a ditch while observing the sky
• Figuratively, it explains if human beings focus too much on the world then they may not see what is essential to them
• This may lead to not knowing anything about themselves

Meaning of Art

• According to Estolas, Javier, and Payno, art is derived from the Latin word, ars, meaning ability or skill
• In this sense, art is used in varied ways, covering artistic creativity for communicating beauty through senses
• Brommer states art is difficult to define Unlike light, art isn't one thing or single phenomenon, people create it, make it complicated and subject to many definitions
• Art can be personal, social change, portraying human emotions, harmony, disharmony, expressing familiar scenarios in new ways, and mystery
• Art is potentially humanity's most essential language
• Art communicates via visual images
• Words are used to describe images, reactions, and feelings related to the art
• Martin and Jacobus define art as something that enables communication with others and essence of human's existence
• Art constitutes means of expression developed by man
• Arts allow people to imagine the unimaginable to connect them to the past, the present, and simultaneously
• The desire to create the language charged with feelings and significance appears universal
• As a cultural force, art is pervasive and potent, showing itself even in primitive societies

Assumptions of Art

• According to Panisan, Bongabong, Boongaling & Trinidad, three assumptions about art: art being universal, not nature, or involves experience
• Principles and bases are important for people appreciating a work of art
• Art enables individuals to communicate one’s individuality and way of life
• Art is everywhere: men create art as language
• Desire to create is general force of culture, pervasive and potent
• Art has no limit, rising cultures, races, civilizations and timeless because it goes beyond our own time

Art and Nature

• Art is made utilizing human skills and artistry through process and planning
• Art is just imitation and appropriation of reality/nature
• Art is a representation of conveyed creative ideas, thoughts and feelings
• Art created by God is divine, and art created by man is superficial or temporary
• Works of art are made to adore the wonders of life and the beauty of God's creation
• Art cannot be natural because it is momentary in the constant transformation of change
• Art does not change without manipulation by its creator
• Man as an artist cannot form nature
• Man cannot compare nature because it is something mysterious and made by Divine Providence whose depth and mystery extends beyond understanding

Art Involves Experience

• Art depicts experience, taking part
• Art involves pigments, molding clay, chipping of marble, casting of bronze, constructing buildings, singing, playing roles on stage, acting, and rhythmic dance
• Every artform does something with material from the body or outside of the body
• Immersion in the arts gives conviction and assertion
• Art appreciation comes with time, touch, and feel

Functions of Art

• No piece of art can be assigned a function without proper context
• Classification depends on context
• Art functions generally fall into three categories: personal, social and physical
• These categories may overlap for any piece of art

Personal Function of Art

• Artists create via need for self-expression and gratification
• An artist communicates thoughts or points to viewers
• Artists provides aesthetic experience for artist and viewer or entertains others
• Pieces may not always be intended to have any particular meaning
• Art may serve personal functions of control to create order, or conversely, confusion
• Art is therapeutic for both artists and viewers
• Expressive art uses creative forms of therapy and benefits many
• Art expresses, explores manage addicitons and improves self esteem
• Music creates and improves our ways of thinking and imagining

Spiritual and Social Functions of Art

• Religious art expresses ideas on human life linking to the divine
• Art of spiritual concern seeks ultimate values through visual form
• The Crucifixion shows visual form relating religious beliefs

Social Function of Art

• Art may improve society and go beyond the individual
• Artists and societies are related
• Art communicates via shared responses and life opinions
• Art enriches, informs and questions the world
• High art is valuable, both socially and financially having powerful restorative effects in society

Social Function of Art When

Influences social behavior, this is a political function. Example: "Bayanihan" it influences social behavior, could be perceived as impure or propaganda

• Display and celebration during primarily public situations such as fiestas and parades
• Sculpture and painting commemorates important members of society
• Commemorate national leaders and historical occurrences emulated by the community through heroic traits
• Communciates social or collective aspects that are opposed to those aspects that are individual and personal

Physical Function of Art

• Understanding physical functions often requires a clear understanding of art
• Arts with physical functions perform some services
• The function of an object is essential for its basic form
• Chairs are made for people to rest on comfortably
• Shapes, sizes, and parts must relate to each other and integrate into an object fulfilling a particular purpose

Architecture, Community Planning and Functions

• A building's operational function primarily determines its design and function
• Climate adapts to design as well
• Architects consider physical, psychological, and spiritual family needs
• Communities include buildings, and groups of individuals with common interests and needs
• Community planning organizes buildings, roads, and spaces to meet community physical and aesthetic needs
• Community planning takes into account areas as part of proper land use

Special and Industrial Areas

• Special areas are meant for residential use and trends show settling outside of downtown blend of rural living with conveniences of urban living
• Industrial, commercial areas are near raw materials as part of neighborhood spots, central downtown or suburban shopping
• Reached easily by car or public transport
• Community government is symbolized via civic structures that perform official functions
• Plazas/parks balance man-made and natural elements
• Streets and roads must perform, from one place to another, with quick, relative ease
• The function is important to aesthetics ensuring it remains visually appealing

Human Art

• Many things remain the same in shape for aesthetic appeal and their utility
• Time has proven that these designs lead to the function well

Art as Aesthetic Performance

• Flores states the humanities must be able to identify key areas while dealing in Arts
• Social persons encounter the world from emotion, thought, and action
• Amount of natural and social science could make us abandon the encounter of the world which is multidimensional and never in fragmented ways, there will only a specific perspective
• The concept encourages us to grasp/understand the aesthetic experience through senses that makes sense of the world
• Discern how the world is made and our connection including our transform nature over familiar convention toward another form

Art Discourse

• Transcendence does not need to only ascribe to artistic practice

Signifying System

• Art is discussed as a cultural signifying practice including technology and technique
• Humanities should not only commit to an artistic communication/experience and to a social act of experience/communication
• Scale of murals implicates the audience under their gaze, while the still life emerges from the audience and reconstruct the spatial/domestic logic.

Art as Social History

• Concerns link into an art social history, not just part of or but actually partaking in the yield
• Social history made it is produced by representation, innovation, capital, labor, rather than imitation, reflection
• Artwork must never be set aside in social conditions in its ancient times, but it can still be a sole element to aesthetic expression and important meaning

Artist and Artisan

• Works are valued by artists, patrons, and culture
• Creative work distinctions exist between craft and art
• Artists & Artisans work side-by-side; patrons pay together rather than individually
• A patron pays work of art and tribute

Artist vs Artisan

• Up until the 14th century, distinctions between artists and artisans slowly too shape.
• Rising recognition occurred thanks to individual creativity compared to only collective production
• Role of artists to genius starts in the 14th century having status surpassing skilled artisans and craftsmen
• Georgia Visari, in 1550, published “Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects" making biographies to make artists well-known personalities
• Is an artist with exceptional visual/performing skill per Gabelo.
• Unlike most, artists are perceptive, sensitive and creative
• Take concepts & create art using musical notes, clay, pigments, stone, words or those similar making imagery.
• Artisans are skilled and trades revolve around producing things by hand with beauty.
• Creations could be functional & decorative like an earthen cooking pot/vase
• Two western classifications: Major & minor art
• Major Art is created by artist/beauty concerned; artisans concerned Minor Arts with functionality

Western Concept Art

• Must have attended Art School
• Meant only for higher social class.
• Last, is hierarchy with liberal, servile Art
• 7 Western arts: visual consisting painting, sculpture & architecture; performing including dance, drama and lastly linguistic literature

Lecture 1.2 The Humanities and the Filipino Personhood (Pagkatao)

• Translated Pagpapakatao into Filipino starting from the word “Pagkatao”, then “Tao"(person)
• Focus is (covar 2015) knowledge on the Filipino
• Starting point, Filipino saying, “Madali ang maging Tao; mahirap magpakatao"(translation: Easy to be human; difficult to have personhood) meaning though similar words they are different
• Using prefix tao, generates a different meaning

The Filipino Terms

• Pagkatao can connect to what we have referred to being of"personhood of being Filipino”,
• Human biological person to start which is already how they’re naturally born.
• The cultural methods difficulty being "human" can can be obtain by “pagpapakatao'

Human as a Filipino

• explained that a metaphor for mankind’s jar related to the manunggal jar/Tabon Cave in Palawan.
• Is was masterfully crafted through master potter
• Top figure shows 2 souls journeying life after death.
• Shows past Filipinos belief on the afterlife
• Manunggul jar is crown somewhat resembling oval having souls being transported Covar discusses if humans share relationship with jars, like the believe you come from clay formed by Adan

Filipino

• Being similar to clay, the culture traditions involve soil being above coffins and then returned from what it once was
• The use plant are buried to be soil in time
• Humans come from "mud."
• Covar explains humanity is similar jar with "loob/lalim/labas"
• Just as they have intellectual-moral-emotional- spiritual characateristics You can’t see who they are unless you attempt to notice their “katao' Each has their own attitude & personality/lalim

Precolonial Traditions and beliefs

• Long old bablayan, Mambunong-talaytayan and have can can withdraw or use rights that is ritualized being used back by the same body given
• In 1 aspect of soul and the Filipino the two have some connections, good side, and straight soul

Essay from Legazpi

• A Filipino is defined through a process "Pagkatao".
• That happens during a student discovering identity throughout Philippines art
• We get proof on living life through them as well as die can you live through art imperishable from dreams/ideals
• He was first Philippines rector/university of Santo Thomas of the 88th
• We today, through the history of difficulty have and that is why so much of us that we now attempt make mobile

Understand self and identity

• Unless there is clear customs or thoughts there is only can grow from them
• In Philippines, we learn past by dying/living this is history via physical and psychologicals effects that’s dream
• Because our area isn’t even it can make other types can be so harsh that make them need to not say everything
• Through cultures, there is gain.
• If have great delicacy as visuals can the sense can also increase what they understand
• Can there be real harmony given and also can soul not be heavy
• Only then can you really know with St Pau It also can really search nature can we see who we are because we are part of art

Lecture 2: Art Appreciation and the Human Faculties

• The aim of art is to depict significance in objects, not just outward appearances. *Aristotle
• At the end of the lecture, students will define art appreciation.
• Students will be able to relate art to the fields of psychology and philosophy
• Students should be able to examine human faculties as a basis of appreciating art
• Students can able to analyze the four levels artwork.
• They to apply the art concept in order can the Renaissance or related era styles by de stili, cubism to make.
• Students to have art showing at least the four levels of analysis

Art the Human Essence

• Basic question " who am I? is" similar the person being being “ “humans is what that comes to it
• That is the senses/minds have to do that to react
• Mind reason & senses of how person being has to be People use it so easier can and how the senses helps, such as that the that ability also make emotional and perception.

Appreciation and what it Includes

• Where a person spectates and the art happens when admired as is.
• It it being like like an area like of art for appreciation

Appreciations Components

• Encounters listener audience and is seeking its meanings so to can link experience.
• Those said times involve in the many senses what we need make, we tell and we know that then turn in to being good with meaning as we feel it, so transform us Then to Ariola art is to search what good is can also with just knowing the good in Art