Unit 2: FUNCTIONS, PHILOSOPHICAL PERSPECTIVES, SUBJECT AND

CONTENT OF ART

Module 2: Functions, and Philosophical Perspectives of Art

Introduction
This module is concerned with developing your understanding of the Art on the aspect of its
functions and philosophical perspectives. The discussion, description and explanation in
this module hope to equip you students with key concepts which are necessary in going
through the course; these concepts hopefully can give you a better appreciation of the lessons
to be learned and activities to be done. This module covers topics on the functions and
philosophical perspectives of art. Make use of this module to provide you with insights and
ideas to help you understand the functions and philosophical perspectives art.

The FUNCTIONS of Art: Why do Artists make Art

The Agent of Art is Man for Expression is an integral part of being human. His expression
is either an art or a craft. When his expression is for appreciation sake, it is Art; and when
his expression is geared towards utilization, then it is Craft. Man oftentimes combined art
and craft and this is called functional art.
PHILOSOPHICAL PERSPECTIVE OF THE ART

Philosophers view art differently t and this can be attributed to the experiences that
they have with art. The following are their views:
 3. Oscar Wilde, Irish author: It is life that imitates art
4. Henri-Louis Bergson: It is not reason that enables us to imitate; art is not imitation; art
is made from intuition(immediate sensation and intense feeling)
5. G.E. Moore: Art is both imitation and intuition
6. Sigmund Freud: Art is a wish-fulfillment; an excellent work of art results from
frustration 7. Jose Ortega Y Gaset: Art is a form of escape; escape from negative
elements 8. Benedetto Croce: Art is merely an expression regardless if it is
understood or not 9. Albert Camus: Art is rebellion
10. John Dewey: Art is not limited in the gallery and museum
11. Dante Leoncini: When man beautifies himself, he becomes a human art
12. Margarette Macdonalds: Art is esoteric. It is mysterious. It is indefinable. It
is transintelligible. It is only describable.

Hierarchy of arts:

1. Immanuel Kant: Music is the lowest of all arts because it gives only sensible
pleasure 2. Schopenhauer: Music is the greatest because it is capable of freeing man
from his fears and desires, from his anger and despair, and from other passions and
anxieties 3. Hegel: Poetry has the best qualities like immediate perception, creative
imagination, development of thoughts and events
4. Leibnitz: The fusion of poetry and music is the highest art
5. Thus, there is no final manner by which a hierarchy of the arts may be
established. Each has his own value.
 Unit 2: FUNCTIONS, PHILOSOPHICAL PERSPECTIVES, SUBJECT
AND CONTENT OF ARTS

Module 3: Subject and Content of Arts

Introduction
This module is concerned with developing your understanding of the Art on the aspect of its
subjects and content. The discussion, description and explanation in this module hope to equip
you students with key concepts which are necessary in going through the course; these
concepts hopefully can give you a better appreciation of the lessons to be learned and activities
to be done. This module covers topics on the subject and content of art. Make use of this
module to provide you with insights and ideas to help you understand the subject and content
of art.
WAYS OF PRESENTING THE SUBJECT
a. Realism
b. Abstraction
c. Expressionaism
d. Futurism
e. Surrealism
f. Fauvism
g. Dadaism
h. Symbolism