BASIC

PHILOSOPHICAL
PERSPECTIVES OF
ART
Art as
mimesis
(Plato)
01
The word “mimesis” is derived from
the Ancient Greek word meaning
“imitation” or “representation.” Acting
and dance are imitative of real
actions, much sculpture are pieces of
wood or stone that look like humans,
and photography literally copies
nature.
 for Plato, art is twice
removed from reality.

When a painter creates a

picture of a bed, what he
creates is just a copy of the
carpenter’s bed that is also a
copy of the original idea of a
bed.
 02 Art as
representation
(Aristotle)
To re-create means to bring reality
into existence in a new form. For
Aristotle, representation means
something that is intended to stand
for something else without looking
like it and that is recognized by
audiences as such.
In the paintings by Baldwin and
Monet, although the color
combination may not look
realistic, but the readers can easily
identify the subjects they
represent: a horse and a garden.
Alberto Giacometti
stresses, ‘The object of art
is not to reproduce
reality, but to create a
reality of the same
intensity.’
 neo-
representational
theory claims that
art is anything that
is about something.

Not all works of art can be a

representation of something.
This is especially true to
abstract art.
 03
Art for
art’s sake
(Kant)
“Art for art’s sake” highlights the
intrinsic value of art. To appreciate
and evaluate it is to consider how it
evokes aesthetic pleasure and delight
instead of its socio-political meanings.
This means that although some
art may ‘mean’ something,
others exist for the “sole
purpose of being art” (Willette,
2010).
04 Art as an
escape
Art provides a healthy
distraction for people
to break free
temporarily from
routine.
 What if we rewrite the stars?
Say you were made to be mine
Nothing could keep us apart
You'd be the one I was meant to
find
It's up to you, and it's up to me
No one can say what we get to
be
So why don't we rewrite the Korean movies and dramas such as
stars? Wonderful Nightmare, Go Back
Maybe the world could be ours Couple, and W break barriers of time.
Tonight Many songs provide a delightful
distraction from harsh realities of life
(Source: LyricFind) as shown in the following lyrics of the
song “Rewrite the Stars.”
Art as
functional
05
Non-motivated purposes of art refer
to innate, unconscious artistic
instincts while motivated functions
refer to the conscious intentions of
the artist in art production
 Non-motivated
functions

Appreciation for harmony,

balance, rhythm
 Non-motivated
functions

Experience of the mysterious

 Non-motivated
functions

Expression of the imagination

 Non-motivated
functions

Ritualistic and symbolic

functions
 Motivated
functions

Art as expression,
communication and
entertainment
 Motivated
functions

Art for political change and

social inquiry
 Motivated
functions

Art as therapy
 Motivated
functions

Art for persuasion

SPECIAL
REMINDERS
UNIT 1 ACTIVITY
Please visit our class work
and answer the unit activity.

I will also upload a word

document if you need further
discussions.

Thank you!
 THANKS
Jake S. Sumampong
Art Appreciation
Lesson 1

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