Learning to Appreciate, Create an Exhibit:

A Module for Art Appreciation

Shiela Marie S. Ranque, D.A.

Arlene Calooy, M.A.
Ivy Jane Asilo, M.A.
Cyra Luna, M.A.
Jenelyn Ancog, M.A.
Catherine B. Orcullo, Ph.D.

(Writers)

Maria Jannettes B. Renegado, M.A.

Stanley Rasonabe, Ph.D.

(Reviewers)
 Preface

You are taking the three-unit course, Art Appreciation. This course helps you to
develop the ability to appreciate, analyze and critique works of art. It equips you to
know the practical, historical, and social relevance of the arts to articulate a sound
understanding of the arts. To cultivate your competency, you will do research, art
curation, appropriation, conceptualization, mounting, and evaluation of art
productions. It also aims to deepen your knowledge and genuine appreciation for
Philippine arts. You have to explore the diverse and rich Filipino culture and even the
cultures of other races.

This module is composed of four (4) parts, namely: Let us start! Let us ponder!
Let us talk! Let us reflect, and Let us do it! In Let us start, you will be given the
learning goals which will guide you to understand what the lesson is about and warm
you up to live up to what is expected of you. Let us talk! It contains the discussion,
providing information and insights to understand the lesson better. Let us reflect! It
allows you to think, process and digest what you read. Let us do it! It encourages
you to unleash the creative soul you keep in you. You will create works of art in
various forms.

May this module help you learn more about arts, express your creative ideas,
distress yourself, uplift your spirit, appreciate Philippine culture and see the beauty in
the cultures of other races.
 CHAPTER 1: The Study of Humanities

Let us start!

At the end of the chapter, the students are expected to:

1. Discuss the relationship between humanities and art;
2. Differentiate art appreciation and art history; and 3. Explain
the importance of art in the modern world.

Let us ponder!

Nature which provides humanity resources for survival, has been

deteriorating. The government encourages citizens to be cautious about their daily
activities, such as irresponsible waste disposal, illegal logging, exhaustive mining,
and others that harm nature. They pass many laws and ordinances to resolve
environmental concerns.

Despite their arduous effort and the punishment they impose, people continue
to do these operations. Concerned about the environment and humanity's sake, a
group of young advocates for Mother Earth published pictures, posters, and slogans
about the effect of nature's wrath on humankind. After spreading them, people start
planting more trees, segregating their garbage correctly, conserving water, and other
activities showing how conscious they are about the environment. In that way, how
does art become helpful? Based on the situation, does art limit itself to
entertainment?

Let us talk!
 Art is one of the fields sheltered under the vast umbrella of humanities.
Derived from the Renaissance Latin words Studia humanitatis, it finds its connection
to humanity, which is bonded through culture, maintains decorum through
refinement, and is nurtured through education. Humanities as a discipline of study
tell about the description of human development and the account of their various
experiences. It has enlightened humanity in the complexities of its roots and has
found significant connections between present and past generations.

Humanities can be defined as the common denominator of fields such as

literature, language, philosophy, religion, music, and arts, which investigate
human-made artifacts. In other words, humanities bridges humanity to the
disentanglement of the mysteries intertwined in their uniqueness common to all. It
also opens their horizons to understand what it takes to be human and contend with
the complexities of their world.
According to Strauss (2017), humanities allow a person to experience culture
outside one's sphere, which exposes him/her to another point of view. In this way,
humans can cultivate a sense of compassion and empathy towards the feelings and
condition of others rather than focusing on his/her own as they intermingle with one
another, pushing through different undertaking the world requires and demands.

Since arts can be defined in various ways, it is subjective. It is said to be a

product of one's expression influenced by one's rich background, which extends
from one's innateness to one's vast community. It comes from the Latin word ars
which means skill, method, or techniques. A Filipino poet, F. Zulueta, says that art
is born due to one's desire for self-expression. The self is complicated to delineate,
making art challenging to explain. Since it can be described in many ways, one
cannot just stick to a single definition because defining things woven in words,
portrayed through images, and fleshed through handicrafts are often the result of an
artist's distinctive interpretation. It is multifaceted and takes anything into account.
An artist can be a product of his natural gift, parental upbringing, his exposure to his
peers, his interaction in the community, and his political, religious, and moral
perspectives, which also dictate his/her way of manifesting art itself.

No matter how wide art can be defined, it can sink into commonalities. Ariola
(2018) cited several salient characteristics of art.

Art is artificial, not God-made. Art cannot be defined through the trees,
mountains, rivers, and manifestation of nature. The latter can be a source of
inspiration and must be interpreted by an artist applying his skills, may it be through
photography, painting, prose, or a poem.

Art is creative, not imitative. Art triggers one's creativity in the world of
commonalities. In today's era, everything is already served, which calls for a
challenge to find a unique angle in presenting one's ingenuity. For instance, tattoo
art is practiced by many tribes worldwide, but each is distinct from the others in its
processes, patterns, and significance to one's culture.

Art benefits and satisfies man. Art is a form of catharsis. It is an avenue for
one to purge his/her desire for satisfaction in the broadest sense. An artist does not
create a piece of art without any purpose. It may be driven by emotional, moral,
political, religious, economic, and other aims. The art has served its purpose if the
purpose has been achieved intentionally or unplanned.

Art is expressed through a specific medium to communicate to his

fellows. However, it is absurd to note that art appears trivial to most people, but it
always aims to convey messages most creatively. The communication is channeled
through the medium, opening the audience's perspectives to be unlocked. The
medium plays a significant role because it bears the relevance the artist is eager to
express.

Art assumes importance in human lives because it dramatically affects

their endeavors. People may say they are not inclined to art but have applied it in
many mundane activities. Its presence cannot be underestimated, for it molds the
person they are.

Art embodies culture. A piece of art reflects people's collective beliefs,

feelings, and aspirations. For example, the movie, Himala, starred by Nora Aunor,
captured the heart of many Filipinos in the '70s because it mirrors the people of the
decade. The characters of the movie feature people clinging to their superstitious
and religious beliefs. The people hoped to be cured by Elsa's healing, and people
are taking advantage of the influx of Elsa's believers by building any form of
business. They were people desperate to advance their careers in covering Elsa's
story. People taunting Elsa, who claimed to be conceded by the Virgin and her
believers, and Elsa herself, who has fought her plights and taught the people about
true faith and others, bespeak a typical Filipino community.

Art accounts for actual events. It records unforgettable and significant

happenings in society. People anthologize the happenings not only through
narratives in the newspapers or chronicles but also through stories, comics,
paintings, films, and other forms of art.

Art teaches humans to appreciate. It gapes people's consciousness about

the beauty of the things they are surrounded by. Many people think how unfortunate
it is to live in the barrio. They feel like people there would tend to be fed up with the
fields and farm animals they see every day, wondering what waits ahead outside the
walls of the mountains. Nevertheless, when they see Fernando Amorsolo's painting,
The Planting Rice, they begin to realize the beauty of nature and the joy and peace
in the simplicity of life they probably have missed.
 Art influences people. It is a powerful tool to sway people's stand or
choices, either for support or rejection. For example, a politician who wants to win
the voters' favor must be impressive in conveying his governance platform through
his/her impressive public speaking skills worthy of more than a standing ovation. A
writer once claimed that the world should not have hated him if Hitler were only an
artist. Many artists were involved in various crimes and scandals, but the world still
venerates them. Their creativity through arts must have something to do with that.
Nevertheless, an artist does not necessarily paint, weave, sculpt or write; he can
speak most eloquently and emphatically, just like a politician does. He may have
been involved in many controversies, but he still sits for a position.

As discussed, art cannot be limited to self-expression, entertainment, and

politics, because it holds significance even in business or any practical undertakings.
There is art in the presentation of proposals, negotiation, advertisement, and other
related tasks which aims for people's approval.

Art springs inspiration. It gives enlightenment on how to knit their plans,

equip themselves and attack for a battle. It also encourages a person who seeks
guidance. It inspires a person to continue one's cause. When Rizal wrote the novel
Noli Me Tangere, the ideas did not just puff from nowhere. He sought inspiration
from creative works such as Juan Luna’s Spoliarium, Harriet Beecher Stowe’s Uncle
Tom’s Cabin, and Eugene Sue’s The Wandering Jews. Rizal awakened the Filipinos
from these works and strengthened them to uproar justice and freedom.
Unknowingly, Rizal had become Bonifacio's inspiration to lead a rebellion against the
Spaniards through KKK.

Art stimulates creative and critical thinking. In schools, one of the

everyday activities is to let students analyze or create a story, a poem, a painting, or
a poster to sharpen their thinking. It allows them to connect with what they have
grasped in the lesson and have witnessed in the community. The story of Achilles,
one of the mighty warriors introduced in Greek Mythology, has made people realize
that no matter how strong you are, there will always be a spot in you where lies your
weakest.

Art nurtures one well-being. Art is used in many therapies. It helps a person
relieves stress and expresses one's suppressed feelings. People resort to dancing,
singing or listening to music, drawing or painting, film viewing, and other
entertainment for relaxation.

Arts build one's identity. It leads a person to know himself/herself, build

self-esteemed and develop a sense of belongingness. A person can only be happy
when he/she feels secure about himself, which starts when he/she has confidence.
Through art, one can assess what a person is inclined to.
 Art makes money. It can provide a person livelihood. Movie directors like
Cathy Molina, performers like Kathryn Bernardo, painters like Ben Cab, and museum
owners like J.K. Rowling become rich because of art. They do not just unleash their
talents and gain recognition but also earn a comfortable living.

Of all the essential discussed matters of art, it is undeniable that art could
affect human lives, which raises the need to teach people how to decipher the
relevance of the manifestations of art in any form. This unraveling in the enigma of
art is called art appreciation. This ability allows a person to understand arts
through its mere interpretation or application guided by one's learning about arts
and the uses of its medium. Beyond entertainment and satisfaction, it provides a
window for a person to connect to oneself, others, the community, nature, and faith.
It also cultivates one's open-mindedness and culture of respect since art serves as a
channel that bridges people to experience other cultures embodying other people or
races' identities. However, approaches to art appreciation may vary. Ariola (2018)
posits the subjectivity of art appreciation due to one’s preferences.
These factors are the aesthetics and form that shape art, the elements that compose
art and the principles of design that guide it, and the acknowledgment of social
signification and cultural relevance.

Art history tackles how art is influenced by historical evolution and stylistic
context. It scrutinizes major and minor arts, analyzing the historical penetration
manifested through the symbols used. They can be analyzed through time and its
context, analysis of the form, usage of critical theories, and utilization of media and
digital technology.

Let us reflect! (20 points)

1. What is the relevance of Humanities in the study of art?

2. How can a person experience different cultures through art?
3. When does a person say that a piece of art can be subjectively analyzed?
4. How can one lessen the subjectivity in the examination of arts?
5. Is art appreciation biased? Justify your answer.
6. Recall any piece of art you know and explain how it helps you establish healthy well-
being.
7. How can a piece of art reflect reality while not being honest?
8. Why does a person need to study humanities even though his interest falls in natural
and social sciences?
9. How can people uninclined to arts use arts in their daily undertakings?
10. With all the importance and benefits discussed, do you think there are
disadvantages to art or the use of art?

Let us do it! (30 points)

 From the discussions above, choose one salient characteristic of arts and
then, flesh your interpretation of that characteristic through a mosaic using any
materials such as rice grains, pebbles, small shells, sticks, paper and egg shells or
anything available at home. You can also combine the materials enumerated.

Take a photo and submit in Blearn in PDF file.

RUBRIC: Not so Tried a Did a Did her/his

much bit good job best ever

(4) (6) (8) (10)

Craftsmanship/
Creativity of work

Uniqueness of the
idea/Application
based on the
instructions

Neatness of work
and submission on
time