Module 1:

Understanding the Arts

Introduction
There are instances in when one reflects and asks himself these questions: what I
am? Why I am in this world? Where do I go from here? What can I do to become and
remain an effective, responsible member of the society? Indeed, a man tends to search the
meaning and the purpose of his/her existence.

To quench these queries, one needs to be more human to put man into his/her heart
and mind, thus, the primordial purpose of this course.

This topic is designed to intensively immerse you to the different art forms. In this
way, you come to understand better the significance of arts in our daily living.

Learning OBJECTIVES
• To determine the students’ expectations to the course
• To clarify the misconceptions about arts

Presentation of Content

We can say that art is the lifeblood of humanities because it conveys one’s
feelings and expressions. Art is the essential factor which motivates an individual
to create and appreciate “a thing of beauty.”
But before we formally discuss art, let’s look at the etymological meaning
as well as the different meanings of art given by the experts.
Etymologically, art is derived from the Latin word “ars”, meaning ability or
skill. Art is from an Italian “artis” defined as a human or skill.
Webster’s New Collegiate dictionary defines art as “The conscious use of
skill and creative imagination especially in the production of aesthetics objects.”

Art according to writers and philosophers:

“Art is not, as the metaphysicians say, the manifestation of some mysterious
idea of beauty of God: it is not, as the aesthetical physiologists say, a game
in which man lets off his excess of stored-up energy; it is not the expression
of man’s emotions by external signs; it is not the production of pleasing
objects, above all, it is not pleasure; but it is a means of unions among men,
joining them together in the same feelings, and indispensable for the life
and progress toward well-being of individuals and humanity.” Russian
novelist Leo Tolstoy
“Art teaches nothing, except the significance of life.” American writer
Henry Miller
“Art is higher type of knowledge than experience.” Greek philosopher
Aristotle
“The object of art is to give life a shape.” French dramatist Jean Anouilh
“Art is science in the flesh.” French poet and playwright Jean Couteau
“All art is social,” because it is the result of a relationship between an artist
and his time.” Historian James Adams
“Art is the most intense mode of individualism that the world has known.”
Irish poet and playwright Oscar Wilde
“Art is a discovery and development of elementary principles of nature into
beautiful forms suitable for human use.” American architect, interior
designer, writer, and educator Frank Lloyd Wright

ART HISTORY
Art history, also called as art histography, is a historical study of the visual arts, being
concerned with identifying, classifying, describing, evaluating, interpreting, and
understanding the art products and historic development of the fields of painting, sculpture,
architecture, the decorative art, drawing, etc.
For example:
Its size is 77cm x 53cm
The woman in the painting is Lisa Gherardini.
Its Italian name is La Gioconda which means happy.
It is 516 years old.

Assumptions about Art

1. Art is everywhere.
"Your surroundings, home, personal care, pets, clothing and body are all
reflections of how you see and express yourself." - Dr. Christiane Northrup
2. Art is not nature.
Art is not nature because art is man-made. It is the creature of man that may
reflect a profound skillfulness and craftsmanship. Art can never be natural
because nature is evanescent, in constant transformation of change, and yet art
is permanent.
3. Art is imitating and creating.
Creation in art is the act of combining or re-ordering already existing
materials so that new objects will be formed. An artist only copies the things in
nature he believes would express his thought and feelings. Art is a process of
imitating involving personal assimilation through mind, feeling and style (Barrios,
____).
4. Art perfects nature.
Artists only enhance things they like and eliminate the undesirable
elements in nature to convey their message of beauty and love.
5. Art is universal.
It transcends cultures, races, and civilization. As long as human beings exist,
art is feasible, alive, and dynamic.
6. Art is timeless
Art is timeless because it goes beyond the time of our existence. It is present
in every corner of the world to serve basic needs of mankind, from ancient time to
modern world. Further, art is timeless because it continually evolves. Aside from
artists birthing new artworks, they also never stop innovating, recreating,
reinventing, and reviving works of art.
Art defines time.
In watching film, for example, even when you do not have
the idea when it was created, the style of directing and filming, the clothing and
bearing of the characters, musical scoring and the setting and the plot of the story
would make the viewer’s guess the period when it was produces.
While art defines time,time also defines art. It identifies the artwork that
would “click” in a particular time for the particular audience.
Having a clearer understanding about art, contemplate on the following
universally accepted ideas about art.

Art as Expression and Communication

Art has grown out of man’s need to express himself. Expression is not
limited to the revelation of emotions alone. The personal and social values of the
artist and his penetrating psychological insight into human reality are also conveyed
through arts.
The artist uses symbols which he organizes into some comprehensible
equivalent of the experience that he is trying to convey. If the symbols are
understood by his audience, then communication has been established.

Art and Experience

Three major kinds of experience are involved in the artistic activity.
1. It starts as an experience which the artist wants to communicate.
2. The act of expressing this experience –that of creating that art object
or form.
3. When the work is done, there is the artist’s gratifying experience of
having accomplished something significant.
On the part of the onlooker or listener, he may kindle an experience which
is similar or related to that which the artist tried to express. These include sensory,
emotional, and intellectual responses.

Art and Beauty

A thing of beauty is one which gives us pleasure when we perceive it. The
delight that we experience is called aesthetic pleasure.
Beauty in terms of art refers to an interaction between line, color, texture,
sound, shape, motion, and size that is pleasing to the senses.
Sometimes beauty is not the artist’s ultimate goal. Art is often intended to
appeal to and connect with human emotion. Artists may express something so their
audience is stimulated in some way-creating feelings, religious faith, curiosity,
interest, identification with a group, thoughts, or creativity. For example,
performance art often does not aim to please the audience but instead evokes
feelings, reactions, conversations, or questions for the viewer. In these cases,
aesthetics may be an irrelevant measure of “beautiful” art.