What is Art?

Module 1: What is Art?

• Humanities and arts help humans fully realize their potential and goals.
• It is important to clarify misconceptions and characterize the assumptions about art
• Visual communication would be impossible in a society without art

Art Definition

• Art is primarily something that is around us
• "Art" comes from the Latin "Ars," meaning "craft or specialized form or skill"
• In the Ancient World, art involved bare hands to produce useful items.
• In Medieval Latin, "Ars" referred to special forms of book-learning such as grammar, logic, magic, or astrology
• The term reacquired its meaning as craftsmanship, devoid of other interpretations, during the Renaissance.
• The 17th century marked the beginning of aesthetics, or the study of beauty, diverging from technical workmanship
• In the 18th century, a distinction between fine arts and useful arts was developed.
• Human history shows the evolution of mankind physically and culturally
• Art embodies culture's highest expressions, ideals, aspirations, and challenges
• Contemporary art refers to the practice of fine art while before the Renaissance, art included functional crafts like goldsmithing.
• The concept of art for art's sake emerged later.

Assumptions of Art

• Examples of universal art literary works include the Greek epics, the Iliad and Odyssey plus the Sanskrit pieces Mahabharata and Ramayana
• Age is not a definitive factor and art is not good because it is old, but because it is good
• Art will be present because human beings express themselves and experience delight through expression
• Art is an expression of man’s reception and interpretation of nature

Art Experience

• Art is just experience, referring to the actual doing of something
• Experiencing art is personal, individual, and subjective
• Perception of art involves value judgement
• Every art experience is accompanied by some emotion

Lesson 2: Art Appreciation: Creativity, Imagination, and Expression

• Art is a product of man's creativity, imagination, and expression, and is not considered nature because of this distinction.
• An artist invents own forms and patterns inspired by nature or other works of art when creating a masterpiece

Art as a Way of Life

• Art allows a way for viewers to perceive something the same way an artist sees a work
• The ability to appreciate art allows one to deeply understand an artwork's purpose and recognize its beauty
• Appreciating art involves developing a taste for fine and beautiful things, which allows individuals to make intelligent choices while considering aesthetic and practical value.
• Appreciating art, regardless of vocation or profession, leads to a more fulfilling life

Creativity in Art

• Creativity requires thinking outside the box to solve problems
• In art, creativity distinguishes one artwork from another
• Creative artists embrace originality and add their own unique touch to their work, rather than copying another artist
• It is important to have thorough research on related art to avoid creative conflicts

Art, Imagination, and Product

• Knowledge is derived from imagination
• “Imagination is more important than knowledge, knowledge is limited to all we now know and understand, while imagination embraces the entire world, and all there ever will be to know and understand.” - Albert Einstein
• An artwork does not need to be a real thing, but can be imaginary
• Artists use their imagination in art which gives birth to reality through creation
• Adding art to surroundings adds beauty, a craving that dates back to early ancestors
• Drawings/paintings of hunted animals surrounded cave walls
• Clays were molded/stones carved into forms resembling men/women and burial jars were created intricate designs.
• Creative pieces were functional and gave joy

Art, Expression, and Emotional Content

• What an artist does to an emotion is not to induce it, but express it
• There is no need to relate to a specific emotion because expression on the other hand individualizes
• Expression still applies today, as artists seek to engage and elicit reactions from their audiences.

Lesson 3: History of Arts and Art in Early Civilizations

• Early people produced materials reflecting attitudes and belief systems on spiritual, social, political, and economic matters.
• Despite changes from adapting to their environment, central themes remain in artworks.
• Archaeological explorations indicate early humans transitioned to permanent settlements resulting in a Stone Age.
• Early humans created paintings/sculptures that depict humans, animals and natural habitats so as to record the kind of lives they led
• Palaeolithic art: caves became canvases for early human artistic attempts

Neolithic Art

• Neolithic art developed when life for early humans became more stable
• By 4000 BCE, monumental and architectural structures were erected.
• The Neolithic Period saw the flourishing of different elements of civilization

Egyptian Art

• The Nile River's integral role in early Egyptian daily life led to its worship
• Time Periods: Old, Middle, and New Kingdom
• The Great Pyramid of Giza served as tombs to provide resting places for Pharaohs and it was constructed roughly more than two million limestone blocks which highlighted the ingenuity and advancement of Egyptians
• Features of Middle kingdom include a shift in Political Hierarchy and art has taken a backseat
• Under king Akhenaton and Queen Nefertiti, there was a Amarna Revolution to revolutionize the arts

Ancient Greece

• Humanist ideals of the Greek reflected in the democratic form of government
• Beliefs, belief, and ideologies are at the core of Greek art and architecture

Development of Greek Art

• Development can be divided into four periods: Geometric, Archaic, Classical, and Hellenistic
• Greece was starting to get back from the onslaught of what seemed to be their Dark Ages during geometric with geometric shapes and patterns
• Greece's trading activities with other civilizations grew and the origins of theater and drama can be traced back during the Greek civilizations during archaic
• Greek sculpture and architecture was classical and emphasis balance while showcasing dynamic evoked by the subjects during hellenistic
• Followers of Dionysus – the god of fertility started the Greek theater

Ancient Rome

• Roman civilization came of age during the Hellenistic period
• They invoked the principles of realism, highlighting the features of human beings.
• Fusion of Greek and Roman cultures can be seen in most Roman artworks
• Romans produce artworks that are often looking stern, harsh, and strong
• The Collosseum uses were for entertainment purposes like public events and gladiator games and the Romans valued their gods

Middle Ages

• The Church was the central figure
• Most important products of the Middle Ages was copying/using biblical scripture

Renaissance Art

• Artists valued individuality having a great emphasis on the proportionality of the human body from humanism and naturalism
• Perspectives of depth were explored providing a three-dimensional perspective of most Renaissance paintings and non-religious themes were important
• Revival of Roman theatrical plays that showcased grand and lavish entertainment

Mannerism

• A product of the Renaissance Period, artists directly copy subjects from existing works of art.
• Most artwork during displayed distorted figures, two-dimensional space, discordant hues and colors, and lack of defined focal point

Baroque and Rococo

• "Baroque” comes from Portuguese term barocco translated as “irregularly shaped pearl” believed by historians as a response to Protestantism
• Politics and art strengthened aside from religion and artists took account motion and space
• Music also flourished which gave messages to evoke feelings
• Italy which include Vivaldi, Corelli, Monteverdi, Germany's Bach and Handel was the composer

Historic Painting

• Historian claim that it was the year 1863 when there was an emergence of modern painting exhibitions
• Neoclassicism transpired that aimed to revive and rekindle the influences of Greek and Roman into art and architecture.

Romanticism

• Romanticism used the central themes of Neoclassical artworks as a springboard which was during the Age of Revolutions and a focus on patriotic and nationalistic movements like the French Revolution
• Promoted justice, equality, social order, and emotions and feelings of man

Realism

• Focuses on the accuracy of details depicting reality and is influenced by Hellenistic Greek culture placing emphasis on the human body
• Idealistic concepts and images replaced by real manifestation of society.

Impressionism

• This work started in France which incorporated scientific principles which emphasizes what the artist’s impression when looking at a scene
• Achieved the goal through brushstrokes, distinction of colors, and the lights and shadow used by the artist.

Post-Impressionism

• Emerged in France with broken colors and short brush stroke and it is a result of both the influence and rejection of Impressionism
• Famous example artists were: Paul Cazanne, Georges Seurat, Paul Gaugin, Vincent van Gogh

Neo-Impressionism and Art Nouveau

• A response to empirical realism and artists rely on systematic and scientific techniques with predetermined visual effects.
• European United States witnessed a new art style which are the style ornamenting long and organic lines and architecture, glass design as examples

Fauvism and Cubism

• Emerged in France using pure and vibrant colors by applying straight from paint
• Cubisms highlighted the two-dimensional surface of the picture plane

Futurism

• Started in Italy, it highlighted the speed, energy, dynamism, and power of machines which showed common themes of restlessness and the fast-paced of modern life. It is evident in poetry and visual arts