What is Art?
Art is Universal; anything can be a medium for Art
Art is Nature; art is a product of human creativity
Art is a product of Experience; artists experience
FUNCTIONS OF ART
I. Personal Function
- depends on the person; the artist
who created the art (self-expression)
II. Social Function
- when it addresses a particular
collective interest as opposed to a
personal interest
- may convey message of protest,
contestation, or whatever the artist
intends his work to carry
III. Physical Function
- artworks that are crafted in order to
serve some physical purpose
PHILOSOPHICAL PERSPECTIVES ON ART
 Art is Imitation
- When one ascribes beauty to
another, he refers to an imperfect
beauty that participates only the
form of beauty in the world of forms
 Art as Representation
- “art is an imitation of another
imitation”, Aristotle
- art as representing possible version
of reality
 Art as Disinterested Judgement
- “art is a judgement of beauty”.
Immanuel Kant
- art being universal yet subjective, he
believes that art is innately
autonomous from specific interest
 Art as a Communication of Emotion
- served as a language, a
communication device that
articulates feelings and emotions
that are otherwise unavailable to
the audience
- comes from the Latin word “Ars”; any
special form of book-learning
eg. grammar, or logic
- the expression or application of human
creative skill and imagination, producing
works to be appreciated primarily for their
beauty or emotional power
- 17th century: art is aesthetics; the study of
beauty
- 18th century: art distinguished to 2 aspects
Fine Art – drawings, paintings, and
sculptures that are admired for their
beauty and have no practical use
Useful/ Functional Art – art objects
that are created with both aesthetics
and utility in mid
MEDIUM AND TECHNIQUE
Medium
 material or substance out of which a
work is made
 through these materials the artist
expresses and communicate meanings
and ideas behind the art forms
Technique
 manner by which artists manipulate and
configure different materials in order to
achieve the desired effect,
 communicates the concept or meaning
according to their personal style
Technology and Art Mediums
 digital art is an artistic work or practice
that uses digital technology as part of he
creative or presentation process
 various names have been used to
describe the process, including computer
art and multimedia art
 digital art itself is placed under the larger
umbrella term new Media Art
How do we appreciate art in contemporary era?
- Art is Universal
- Art is Not Nature
- Art is a product of Experience