Understanding Art Criticism

• Attacking and destroying creation is easier than creating.

What is Criticism?

• Informed discussion aimed at improving understanding and appreciation of art.
• Can be spoken or written.

Why is Art Criticism Important?

• Allows people to better understand and appreciate art.
• Responds to artworks in an informed way, contributing to the ongoing discussion about the nature and meaning of art.

Four Steps in Art Criticism

• Description
• Analysis
• Interpretation
• Judgement

Description

• List details, size, medium, processes, subject, and elements of the artwork.
• Must be objective.

Analysis

• How all the art and features work together as a whole.
• Discover how the principles of art are used to organize the art elements of line, color, value, shape, form, space, and texture

Interpretation

• Process of assigning meaning to a work of art.
• Explaining or telling the meaning or mood of the work.
• Don't be afraid to make an interpretation that differs from others.

Judgement

• Process of evaluating an artwork's effectiveness and impact.
• Determine the degree of artistic merit.

Art Criticism Process

• Describe: List what is seen in the artwork, including images, descriptions over the phone, art elements, and color schemes.
• Analyze: List art elements and design principles such as color, value, line, shape/form, texture, space, balance, emphasis, harmony, variety, movement/rhythm, and proportion.
• Interpret: Determine the mood, communicated feeling, represented ideas, and the story being told.
• Judge: Evaluate if the artwork is successful and provide supporting opinions with evidence or criteria for art skills, meaning, creativity, and realism.

Artist vs. Artisan

• An artist is someone engaged in creating, practicing, or demonstrating art.
• An artisan is stimulated by the same impulse in creating tangible or intangible products, produces crafts for decoration and designed to to be practical or useful.
• An artisan is essentially a manual worker who creates things of great beauty as well as being functional through his or hands, skill, experience and talent.
• An artist is dedicated only to the creative side.
• An artist makes visually pleasing work only for the enjoyment and appreciation of the viewer, but with no functional value.

Focus of Artist vs. Artisan

• Artists prioritize expression and innovation when using their work.
• Explore ideas, challenge norms, and evoke emotions.
• Artisans concentrate on functionality and mastery, which is aimed to produce well-crafted objects that serve practical purposes.

Process of Artist vs. Artisan

• Artists typically take a conceptual approach.
• They convey their message or translate it into tangible art.
• Artisans rely on hands-on techniques and traditional skills to bring their creations to fruition.

Uniqueness of Artist vs. Artisan

• Artists strive for originality, seeking recognition for their unique style and perspective,
• Artisans may reproduce established designs while adding personal creativity.
• Artisans focus on upholding quality and tradition.

Materials Used by Artist vs. Artisan

• Artists often experiment with unconventional materials to achieve desired effects.
• Artisans specialize in traditional materials like wood, clay, or textiles that are integral to their craft

Activities of an Artist

• Painter
• Sculptor
• Carpenter
• Potter
• Writer
• Photographer
• Blacksmith
• Graphic designer

Activities of an Artisan

• Weaver
• Glassblower
• Performance artist
• Architect
• Jeweler
• Leatherworker
• Florist
• Musician

National Artist of the Philippines/GAMABA

• Gawad sa Manlilikha ng Bayan (GAMABA), also known as the National Living Treasures, is an award given to a person or a group of artists that is recognized by the Philippine government.
• Awards for their contributions to the nation's cultural heritage.

List of GAMABA Awardees

• Ginaw Bilog was a poet from Hanunu Mangyan Panaytayan, Oriental Mindoro, awarded in 1993.
  • He created Ambahan Poems consisting of seven syllable lines which most of the time contains messages of love and friendship.
• Masino Intaray was a musician and storyteller from Brooks Point Palawan, awarded in 1993 (+) 2013)
  • He came from the highlands of Southern Palawan and together with the Batak and Tagbanwa, are the major indigenous cultural communities of Palawan.
• Samoan Sulayman (+) 2011), Maguindanao, Mamasapano Magunanao,.
  • Samoan Sulaiman achieved the highest level of excellence in the art of kutyapi playing.
  • The kutyapi, a two-stringed plucked lute, is one of the most technically demanding and difficult to master among Filipino musical instruments.
• Lang Dulay (+2015) was a textile weaver from T'boli, Lake Sebu, South Cotabato, awarded in 1998.
  • She was credited with preserving her people's tradition of weaving T'nalak, a dyed fabric made from refined abaca fibre.
  • She was a Filipino traditional weaver who was a recipient of the National Living Treasures Award.
• Salinta Monon (+2009) was a textile weaver from Tagabawa Bogobo, Bansalan, Davao Del Sur, awarded in 1998.
  • Salinta Monon was known for her Bagobo-Tagabawa textiles and was known as "Last Bagobo Weaver”.
  • She was a Filipino textile weaver who was a recipient of the National Living Treasures Award in 1998.
• Alonzo Saclag was a musician and dancer from Kalinga, Lubugan Kalinga, awarded in 2000.
  • was awarded for his mastery of the Kalinga musical instruments and mastery of the dance patterns and movements associated with his people's ritual.
• Federico Caballero was an epic chanter from Solud0 Bukidnon Calinog, Iloilo, awarded in 2000.
  • He is known for his work on the documentation of the oral literature, particularly the ten epics.
  • Federico Caballero is a Filipino epic chanter who is a recipient of the National Living Treasures Award.
  • He is of the Panay-Bukidnon people from the Central Panay mountains.
• Uwang Ahadas was a musician from Yakan, Lamitan, Basilan, awarded in 2000.
  • He plays traditional Yakan instruments such as the agung, gabbang, and kwintangan kayu.
  • Ahadas is gifted with a talent for music which he learned by simply observing the performances of the older members of the Yakan community.

Explore art criticism: informed discussion enhancing art appreciation. It involves description, analysis, interpretation, and judgment. Each step contributes to a deeper understanding and the ongoing dialogue regarding art's meaning.