Art Appreciation PDF

Art Appreciation Humanities is the study of the different cultural aspects of people. Humanities Culture is the disparity of man and The hu...

Art Appreciation Humanities is the study of the different cultural aspects of people. Humanities Culture is the disparity of man and The humanities are those disciplines that animals. deal with human interaction, society and Humanities also means understanding how humans get along in society. people and their affairs rather than just a The term was first applied to the writings prescribed unchangeable body of accepted of ancient Latin authors which were read facts and theories. not only for their clarity of language and literary style, but also for their moral ART - Aryan root word “AR” which means teaching. to join or put together. Renaissance: The word came to refer to Greek words derived from “AR”: the set of disciplines taught in the o Artizien – to prepare universities. o Arkiskien – to put together ○ Grammar, rhetoric, history, Ars/Artis (Latin) - Everything which is literature, music, philosophy, artificially made. theology ○ Humanus (Latin) - “human, Art is universal. cultured, refined.” o Art has been created by all people, Why it’s important to study humanities? at all places and times. It exists It answers to the fundamental questions because it is liked and enjoyed. we ask about ourselves and about life. o Art is universal because it is good; ○ Learning about ourselves – through but not good because it is universal. the various humanities – helps us Art is a product of man’s imagination, to create a better world. good taste and skill in doing things. ○ “It’s the human in humanities that Art is not nature; and nature is not an art. is worth studying. Humanities can Art involves experience. tell us about ourselves, how we interact and get along and why we NOTE: Because art is man-made, nature is not an sometimes don’t!” (Jared van art. Duinen) Art involves experience Cultural understanding Starts as an experience that the artist The arts provide insights into different wants to communicate. cultures, traditions, and historical periods The act of experiencing that experience Through literature, music, visual arts etc., Gratifying experience of having we can understand the values, beliefs, and accomplished something significant experiences of people from various backgrounds. Art is uniquely human and tied directly to Cultural thinking culture. It asks questions about who we The arts foster critical thinking skills by are, what we value, the meaning of beauty encouraging analysis, interpretation, and and the human condition. evaluation. Art history, anthropology and literature Community Engagement are three main sources in observing, Provide avenues for social interaction, recording and interpreting our human collaboration, and shared experiences, past. fostering connections and strengthening social bonds. Visual arts Cultural preservations Oldest form documented Art forms such as literature, music, and Includes images, objects in fields like visual arts serves as repositories of paintings, sculpture, printmaking, cultural heritage. photography and other visual media. E.g Appropriation – the act of copying from old - Lascaux Cave Painting (France) models in order to come up with - Stonehenge (England) something new. - Venus of Willendorf o re-enacting/recreating a scene (photography) Four major ideas for determining if a work o Copying an idea and changing its of art is effective: title (writing) Mimetic Theory (Imitationalism) Borrowing o Art is good when it imitates reality. o act of copying aspects of an original o An Imitationalist artist focuses on work; appropriation – the act of mimicking and representing real injecting some “fresh” perspective of life. In a successful piece of art, the the original work. textures, light, shadows, human Issue of ownership proportions, and perspective are all Technically, copyright law protects exact highly realistic, as if you could wording, not an idea. reach out and touch them. General rules to consider: Formalism o There must be something new that o Art is good when it masters the the artist added (an idea, nuance, artistic elements and principles. criticism) to the work being o A Formalist artist focuses on an appropriated. artwork’s form—the way it’s made o When one appropriates or borrows, and what it looks like. In a the intention must not be to deceive successful piece of art, the visual others. features are most important: line o No one should be allowed to borrow quality, color, composition, and if it is aimed at hurting others. other artistic elements and principles. Subject of Art - refers to any person, Instrumentalism object, scene or event described or o Art is good when it communicates a represented in a work of art. message. Kinds of Art according to Subject: o An Instrumentalist artist focuses on o Representational context and message. A successful o Non-representational piece of art is an instrument to Landscapes, seascapes and cityscapes persuade the audience or provide Still lifes - painting or drawing of an commentary. It is often political, arrangement of objects, typically including social, moral, or thought-provoking. fruit and flowers and objects contrasting Emotionalism with these in texture, such as bowls and o Art is good when it evokes an glassware. emotional response. Animals o An Emotionalist artist focuses on Portraits the expression of emotion. A Figures successful piece of art Everyday life (genre) communicates an emotion, but History and legend more importantly, it pulls out an Religion and mythology emotional reaction from the viewer. Dreams and Fantasies Narrative Art Ways of Presenting the Subject o “A picture is worth a thousand Realism - depicting things the way they words.” would normally appear in nature. o an art that says precisely what it is Take note: No work of art is truly realistic, since – it tells or narrates a story. no work of art is an exact copy of what exists in the natural world. Abstraction o the process of simplifying/or reorganizing objects and elements  according to the demands of artistic subject a poor one; a noble subject does expression. not mean a noble work of art, nor an The artist who is interested in one phase ignoble subject an ignoble work. of a scene or situation doesn’t show the subject as an objective reality but only his The Functions of Art idea of it or his feeling about it. Classification of art according to Distortion function: o twisting, stretching, or deforming Functional the natural shape of the object. Non-functional o usually done to dramatize the In applied arts, as in architecture, function is shape of a figure or to create an so important that it, rather than the name emotional effect. of the art, is used to identify individual Surrealism works. o 20th-century avant-garde To satisfy: movement in art and literature that our personal needs for expression sought to release the creative our social needs for display, celebration potential of the unconscious mind, and communication for example by the irrational our physical needs for utilitarian objects juxtaposition of images. realism and structures. plus distortion o Surreal means beyond natural; ▪ Personal Function beyond realism o To satisfy our individual needs for o Presenting art by fantastic imagery personal expression ▪ Self-expression or gratification Subject - object depicted by the artist. Arts are vehicles for the artists’ Content - refers to what the artist expression of their feelings and expresses or communicates on the whole ideas. in his work. ▪ Aesthetic Expression o Meaning of the work o Everyone is concerned with what o Theme in literature is beautiful or pleasing. ▪ Intellectual Inquiry Levels of Meaning o Much of contemporary art deals Factual meaning – the literal statement or with questions about the nature of the narrative content in the work which art, the role of art in society and can be directly apprehended. reactions to contemporary society Conventional meaning – the special and culture meaning that a certain object or color has ▪ Therapy for a particular culture or group of people. Religious Art and Art of Spiritual Concern o ex. Flag – nation; cross – Religious art usually expresses collective Christianity crescent moon – Islam; ideas about human life in relation to the elephant – a significant and sacred divine. animal within the Hindu religion. Social Function Subjective meaning – any personal To satisfy our social needs for display, meaning consciously or unconsciously celebration and communication conveyed by the artist using a private Art performs a social function when: symbolism which stems from his own It seeks or tends to influence the collective association of certain behavior of a people. objects, actions, or colors with past It is created to be seen or used primarily in experiences. public situations. It expresses or describes social or collective ▪ We may like in art what we do not like in aspects of existence as opposed to individual and nature, because we see the subject as it personal kinds of experience. has been interpreted for us by the artist. ▪ A beautiful subject does not necessarily produce a good work of art, nor an ugly  It seeks or tends to influence the collective Who are going to use it? behavior of a people. How many are they? The design that a building takes is also adapted Political art to the climate of the region. Arts that are depicting social conditions. It is created to be seen or used primarily in public situations. Graphic Communication One function of sculpture and painting is the commemoration of important personages in society. Statues of national heroes, commissioned paintings of leaders or rulers. Arts are also linked to rituals. Public celebrations, such as festivals, involve rituals of some kind, and these, in turn, employ the arts. Physical Function To satisfy our physical needs for utilitarian objects and structures. Works of art that are created to perform some service have physical functions. Many objects have both physical and aesthetic duties. Art shares responsibility for the built environment: how it looks and how it works. Architecture: The Dwelling The earliest building type and the closest to our daily lives. Monumental Art Large scale artwork often functions something like architecture, despite not actually being a shelter or dwelling. Memorial to the victims of the Nazi T4 extermination program at the site of the Berlin T4 headquarters Japanese raku bowl and cup by Duchamp Form and Function The function of an object generally determines the basic form that it takes. “Form follows function.” Louis Sullivan, Frank Lloyd Wright's teacher, originated the phrase "Form follows function." It means that the outer shape or appearance of an object results from its inner operation; an object should look like what it is and does. The design of the building is determined primarily by its operational function. What is the building for?