The Philosophy of Art

Study Notes

The Origin of "Art"

"Art" originates from the Aryan root "Ar," meaning "to join" or "put together."
The root "Ar" gave rise to Greek verbs "Artizein" (to prepare) and "Arkiskein" (to put together).
Latin terms "Ars" and "Artis" signify anything man-made or composed.

Evolution of the Word "Art"

Before the Renaissance, "art" referred to craftsmanship.
In modern times, "art" is primarily associated with fine arts.

Philosophical Definition of Art

Aristotle defined art as "the right reason for making things."
Art involves human activity directed towards transforming or changing based on principles.
Modern art is defined as a formal expression of a human experience, emphasizing form and substance.

Distinguishing Art from Nature

Art is man-made, in contrast to nature.
Nature serves as the foundation for art by supplying subject matter and materials.

The Relationship Between Art and Life

Art imitates life, according to Aristotle.
Despite imitating life, art remains a product of human creativity.

Spatial Arts

A concept that encompasses forms of art, whose works exist within space, remain static in time, and are visually perceived.

Plastic Arts

Arts that involve physically manipulating a material medium, with the medium's composition heavily influencing the work's structure.
Divided into representational and nonrepresentational categories.

Representational Plastic Arts

Includes painting, sculpture, graphics, and photography.
These arts reproduce visually perceived reality with varying degrees of accuracy.
Sculpture is three-dimensional, while painting, graphics, and photography are two-dimensional.

Nonrepresentational Plastic Arts

Include architecture, decorative applied art, and artistic design.
They don't necessarily rely on real-world models for their visual-spatial forms.

Blurred Boundaries

The distinction between representational and nonrepresentational arts isn't absolute.
Decorative applied art often uses figurative motifs, while some nonrepresentational works can also be considered representational (e.g., figurative vessels in sculpture).
Architecture, although nonrepresentational, sometimes incorporates forms from nature (e.g., ancient Egypt).

Temporal Element

Plastic arts differ from other art forms due to their lack of temporal development.
Forms are static, unlike music, which unfolds in time.

Visual and Tactile Perception

Plastic arts are primarily appreciated through sight, with sculpture and decorative applied art allowing for tactile interaction.
Understanding and appreciating architectural images and some monumental paintings and sculptures requires motor perception, which takes time, but the work itself remains unchanged.

Fusion with Other Arts

Artists specializing in plastic arts often contribute to other, more synthetic art forms.
Painters, architects, and sculptors participate in theatre, film, and festival decor.
Attempts have been made to merge painting and music (e.g., Scriabin's "color music").

Integration of Language

Language plays a significant role in plastic arts, particularly in specific periods and art forms.
Text is integral to posters, caricatures, and cheap popular prints.
Words complement the image in Greek vase painting, medieval icons and miniatures.
In architecture, inscriptions (e.g., Roman triumphal arches) and even entire texts (ancient Egyptian temples, medieval mosques) serve as visual elements.
Titles of pictures and sculptures often relate to their content.

Structure of Plastic Images

Visual-plastic means form the basis of images in plastic arts: composition, elements of form (space, volume, movement, rhythm, line, chiaroscuro, color), and technique.

Analytical Structure of Artistic Image

Can be broken down into three interconnected aspects:
- Tectonic-compositional: Involves organizing the medium in space (three-dimensional in architecture, sculpture, etc., and two-dimensionally in painting, graphics), establishing structure and tectonics, arranging elements harmoniously or inharmoniously, and achieving compositional unity.
- Expressive: Achieved through visual-formal elements that evoke certain emotions and moods.
- Representational: Refers to the depiction of reality, whether with accuracy or symbolically.

Conclusion

The unity of tectonic-compositional, expressive, and representational aspects reveals the ideological and artistic meaning of a plastic artwork.

Description

Explore the origins and evolution of the concept of 'art' through time. This quiz delves into philosophical definitions, the distinction between art and nature, and the relationship between art and life, highlighting key ideas from historical figures like Aristotle.