MARY JOY FERNANDEZ

BSMLS-1C

ART AND SOCIETY

1.Why art resists a universal and fixed definition? How can a Universalist
definition result to Western hegemony?

● Art is a way of thinking and a way of communicating meaning. It is created in

certain environments, in particular communities, and across specific historical
eras. There is no set of aesthetic standards that apply to all men and in all
circumstances. By establishing the standards of beauty that have come to be
accepted as universal, Western classical art defines art. As a result, non-western
nations with their traditions were under the control of the West.

2.In the Philippines, will you use the contextual or formal approach in
understanding art? Why?

➔ I believe that a contextualist position is the best way to understand art in the
philippines. In this approach we view art whether as visual arts, architecture, the
traditional arts, music, literature, theater, film, and dance, within its social and
historical context so as to be able to grasp its full meaning. In this way art
provides a cognitive vehicle for better knowing ourselves and the world.
Although, as the Philippines adopted more Western culture, art became
extremely specialized, apart from daily life, and motivated by commercial
success. Except for Filipino artists trained in the West, the cultural foundation of
Philippine art is still shared by everybody. Even people with formal training in
Western classical-romantic, impressionist, post-impressionist, cubistic, surrealist,
expressionistic, abstractionist, constructivist, photorealist, pop-op, avant-garde or
 postmodern thought will display formal tendencies that are obviously rooted in
traditional art.

3.How can art depict the different power relations in the country?

➔ Art has been created throughout history in a variety of social structures or modes
of production. Primitive communal societies, such as clans and kinship groups
without a strong political organization, developed arts that met the needs of the
local community. Artists in warrior communities specialized in creating weapons
like the kris, which fused aesthetics and functionality. When affluent elite families
or groups ruled plutocratic civilizations and sultanates, artists responded to their
desire for impressive ritual artifacts and status symbols. Art acts as the
symbolism of what the country status is.

4.According to Guillermo, how can art be an instrument of social change?

➔ Art that expresses meaning and comes from the creator's perspective and
interpretation of life and reality is more than just a technical feat of skill. Such art
would be cut off from the life force of humanity. Art is not neutral; it is a change
agent that draws its energies from the dynamism and conflicts of society.

5.Why art should not be seen as a commodity?

➔ Art, a type of product, or an artistic product, is viewed primarily as a commodity

to be purchased and sold on the market and its value is reckoned in terms of
market value and investment potential within the capitalist system, in which
everything is commodifiable. The degree to which it satisfies specific consumer
demands, such as the need for status symbols, social niceties, precious items, or
adornment, determines its value as a commodity. The work of art, on the other
hand, transcends the realm of mere decoration because it serves as a means of
communicating concepts, ideals, and feelings. In fact, it represents a vision of
reality and life.
6. In the reception and production of art, why is it necessary that we should take
into account the relations of class, gender, race, ethnicity, etc. ?

➔ An understanding of art should be gender-sensitive in its analysis of

images and art discourse. Production and reception come to the fore here.
Patriarchal societies and their gender role stereotypes have long been
detrimental to the development of female art. Artistic imagery assumes the
male gaze, supports male interests and perspectives, and perpetuates
female subordination. Race and ethnicity are important factors to consider.
Race seems to be of little importance in Filipino society, but it manifests
itself in the form of racial attitudes ingrained through centuries of white
colonial rule. This is most obvious in the film industry. Recently, there has
been an increasing emphasis on lighter skin tones in relation to skin tones.
It is used not only by the elite, but also in advertisements that always
feature mestizo models. At the grassroots level, this leads to a distortion of
our national identity as people. Both race and ethnicity have created
prejudices in our nation, overt and hidden, conscious and unconscious.
Religious and political beliefs also play a role in the arts. It's a factor. But
these are also tied to interests and concerns.perspective. Religion
associated with major social institutions is not a neutral aspect of people's
lives. With respect to political beliefs, support either a dominant ideology
supported by privileged interests or powerful wealthy groups, and an
opposing ideology always seeking greater popular support There is no
doubt that art can directly or indirectly reflect these competing political
positions, and in this sense, art has a fundamental connection with
politics. Social conservatism or economic interest in change.

7. Is art innocent and neutral? Why?

➔ Art is neither a pure nor neutral activity; it is infused with ideals that are a product
of perspective and vested interest. The aspect of class underlying the patronage
 system for art and is present in the work's inherently ideological components as
well as how it is positioned within a society's production relations.

8.Answer the following from Perkins’ article:

a.Why do people bother with Art?

➔ Art engages our psychological resources of understanding. We bother with art
because such activities play out our powerful motive as sapient organisms to
operate our understanding system.

b.What is the relationship of art and understanding?

➔ The appreciation and making of works of art inevitably and profoundly involve the
application of our apparatus of understanding in various modes and directions.
We act out of our understanding of an activity. We try to proceed in accordance
with what we understand the activity to invite and demand. In relation to art,
bothering with art well involves understanding well what the activity invites and
demands.

c.What causes errors in understanding?

➔ The person who understands "look and see" will probably just look and
see what conveniently arises. When looking through the categories of art
history, the "art-historical" understander may overlook much of what the
work has to offer and may also feel weirdly let down for not discovering
more. The person who understands "aesthetic effects" will search for and
discover numerous aesthetic rewards in the work, especially if they take
the time to revisit it after their analytical search for specific effects.
Although they may appreciate the benefits of expertise and a trained eye,
"mute" and "holistic" understanders (often the same person) will limit their
serious looking to a type of mute spontaneity that results in brief
interactions with works.

d.Why understanding relationships is important in understanding and

appreciating art?
➔ It is essential to understand relationships in understanding and
appreciating art for it gives knowledge on how to connect humans to the
art. There's always a connection between art and humans, therefore its
vital to first understand their relation to each other to fully comprehend
what art is all about.