ART

APPRECIATION
Prepared by:
VINCE GORDON W. ABIO, LPT
THE MEANING AND
IMPORTANCE OF ART
THE NATURE OF ART
Art has been defined in various ways.
Art is derived from the Latin word ars, meaning
“ability or skill.” – J.V. Estolas
Art is taken from the Italian word artis, which
means craftsmanship, skill, mastery of form,
inventiveness, and the associations that exist
between form and ideas, between material and
technique. – A. Tan
Art is a product of man’s need to express
himself. – F. Zulueta
Art is concerned with the communication of
certain ideas and feelings by means of sensuous
medium, color, sound, bronze, marble, words,
and film. – C. Sanchez
Art is that which brings life in harmony with
the beauty of the world. – Plato
Art is an attitude of spirit, a state of mind – one
which demands for its own satisfaction and fulfilling,
a shaping of matter to new and more significant form.
– John Dewey
Art is the skilful arrangement or composition of some
common but significant qualities of nature such as
colors, sounds, lines, movements, words, stones,
wood, etc., to express human feelings, emotions, or
thoughts in a perfect meaningful and enjoyable way.
– Panizo and Rustia
4 common essentials of arts
1. art must be man-made
2. art must be creative, not imitative
3. art must benefit and satisfy man and man must
make use of art in practical terms
4. art is expressed through a certain medium or
material by which the artist communicates
himself to his fellows.
Art has a particular importance in our lives. All the
art that we see and hear have a purpose.
We communicate through paintings, songs,
dances, and dramatic plays.
We build monuments to remind us of the heroic
deeds of great men.
Artworks are also valuable sources of inspiration.
We are delighted by the books we read.
Moved by the music we hear.
Paintings, sculptures, and plays capture our
attention and critical thinking.
Modern architectural designs inspire us to plan
and construct our houses beautifully.
Through an artist’s work, we get a glimpse of the
thoughts, feelings, and beliefs of the people who
lived in the period the artwork was produced and
the external factors that influenced the artwork.
This explains why the arts are called
humanities. It brings out the good and the noble
in us.
Art Appreciation is the ability to interpret or
understand man-made arts and enjoy them
either through actual and work-experience with
art tools and materials or possession of these
works of art for one’s admiration and
satisfaction.
THE SUBJECT OF ART
In any art form – painting, music, sculpture,
architecture, or dance – there is always a subject
that serves as the foundation of the creation of the
work of art.
A subject of art is usually anything that is
represented in the artwork.
The subject of art is varied.
– It may be a person, object, scene, or event.
Artworks that depict something easily
recognized by most people are called
representational or objective arts.
- graphic arts, literature, and
theatre
- Painting, sculpture, music and
dance
Artworks that have no resemblance to any real
subject are called non-representational or
non-objective arts.
- They do not represent anything and they
are what they are.
- They rather appeal directly to the senses
primarily because of the satisfying
organization of their elements.
THE FUNCTION OF ART
■ Architecture is directly and almost entirely
functional because buildings and other structures
are always built for some special purposes.
■ Music and dance were used in ancient rituals and
worship of the gods, for social and folk
entertainment, as well in the military.
■ Paintings and sculpture may be used to narrate
events, to portray people or events, to
commemorate individuals or historical events, and
to serve as vehicle for personal expression.
■ Metal works such as gates, grills, lamps, armor,
weapons, and tools, ceramics, glassware, stained
glass, mosaic, tilework, textile, and furniture are
among the many types of arts or crafts.
4 main functions of art
1. Aesthetic function
Through art, man becomes conscious of the
beauty of nature. He benefits from his own
work and from those done by his fellowmen.
He learns to use, love, and preserve them for
his enjoyment and appreciation.
2. Utilitarian function
Comfort and happiness
Through art, man is provided with shelter, clothing,
food, light, medicine, beautiful surroundings, personal
ornamentals, entertainment, language, transportation,
and other necessities and conveniences of life.
Improves nature through landscape gardening, creation
of super-highways, and through propagation and
conservation – of natural resources.
3. Cultural function
Through the printed matter, art transmits and
preserves skills and knowledge from one
generation to another. It makes man aware of
his/her cultural background, making him/her
more knowledgeable and his/her life more
enduring and satisfying.
4. Social function
Through civic and graphic arts, man learns to
love and help each other. International
understanding and cooperation are fostered and
nations become more unified, friendly,
cooperative, helpful, and sympathetic.
THE SCOPE OF ART
Various authors classify arts in different ways.
MANAOIS
2 general dimension of arts
1. Fine arts or independent arts or aesthetic arts
– Are made primarily for aesthetic enjoyment through the
senses, especially visual and auditory.
– Are music, painting, sculpture, architecture, literature,
dance and drama.
2. Practical arts or useful arts or utilitarian arts
– Are intended for practical uses.
– It is the development of raw materials for
utilitarian purposes.
– Are industrial art, applied or household art, civic
art, commercial art, agricultural art, business art,
distributive art, and fishery art.
CUSTODIOSA SANCHEZ (2002)
– Are consist of visual arts, literature,
drama and theatre, music, and dance.
– Visual arts are those that we perceive
with our eyes.
– Classified into 2 groups:
1. Graphic arts
- painting, drawing, photography, graphic
process (printing), commercial art (designing
of books, advertisement, signs, posters, and
other displays), and mechanical process, in
which portrayals of forms and symbols are
recorded on a two-dimensional surface.
– Classified into 2 groups:
2. Plastic arts
- include all fields of visual arts for which
materials are organized into three-dimensional
forms such as structural architecture, landscape
architecture (garden, parks, playgrounds, golf
course beautification), city physical planning and
interior arranging (design of wallpaper, furniture),
sculpture, crafts, industrial design, dress and
costume design, and threatre design.
JOSEFINA ESTOLAS (1995)
– Grouped arts into major and minor arts.
– Major arts include painting, architecture,
sculpture, literature, music, and dance.
– Minor arts include the decorative arts
popular arts, graphic arts, plastic arts, and
industrial arts.
– Also grouped arts into: visual arts (graphic arts,
plastic arts); performing arts (theatre, play,
dance, music); literary arts (short story, novel,
poetry, drama); popular arts (film, newspaper,
magazine, radio, television); gustatory arts of the
cuisine (food preparation, beverage preparation);
and decorative arts or applied arts (beautification
of houses, offices, cars, and other structure).
PANIZO and RUSTIA (1995)
– Classified arts into 2 major divisions
1. According to purpose
5 categories
1. Practical arts or useful arts
■ Are directed to produce artifacts and utensils for the
satisfaction of human needs.
■ Examples: handicrafts (basket weaving, mat
weaving, etc.), embroidery, ceramics, iron and metal
crafts, and tin can manufacturing.
1. According to purpose
5 categories
2. Liberal arts
■ Are directed toward intellectual growth, such as in the
study of philosophy, psychology, literature,
mathematics, and sciences.
3. Fine arts
■ Focused towards creative activity for the
contemplation of mind and upliftment of the spirit.
■ Examples: painting, sculpture, and architecture.
1. According to purpose
5 categories
4. Major arts
■ Characterized by actual and potential
expressiveness.
■ Examples: music, poetry, and sculpture.
5. Minor arts
■ Concerned with practical uses and purposes.
■ Examples: interior decoration and porcelain.
2. According to media and forms
■ 5 types
1. Plastic arts
■ Are works which exist in a physical space and
perceived by the sense.
■ Examples: sculpture and decorative materials.
2. Phonetic arts
■ Utilizes sounds and words as medium of
expression.
■ Examples: music, drama, and literature
2. According to media and forms
■ 5 types
3. Kinetic arts
■ Involve the element of rhythm.
■ Example: dance
4. Pure arts
■ Take only one medium of expression.
■ Examples: sound in music and color in painting.
5. Mixed arts
■ Take more than one medium.
■ Example: opera which combines music, poetry, and
drama.
THE ORIGIN OF ART
Art is viewed as a reflection of creativity,
integrity, and inventiveness within a culture.
The history of art began with that of humanity.
Art dates back to the time when superstitions and
belief in the spirits are still very common in every
culture.
Indigenous art in the form of dancing, painting,
music, and poetry accompanied ancient rituals and
ceremonies.
Men and women of the early times perform dances to
entertain, to worship their gods and goddesses, or to
invoke success and blessings.
Their music and poetry chronicles the life and works
of their ancestors as well as legendary origins of
heroes, heroines, and gods.
Tribalist cultures often wore body paintings during
ceremonies.
Cave paintings and drawings are believed or reflect
ancient religious beliefs and visions.
Artworks made from the more durable materials like
metal, stone, clay, bone and glass survive longer than
those made from materials that are more prone to
decay like wood.