Arts Appreciation Module 1-3

Saint Estanislao Kostka College, Inc.
GEN ED 6 ARTS APPRECIATION SUMMER CLASS 2021-2022
WHAT IS ART?
Art is something that is perennially around us.
Some people may deny having to do with the arts but it is
indisputable that life presents us with many forms of and
opportunities for communion with the arts. A bank manager
choosing what tie to wear together with his shirt and shoes,
a politician shuffling her music track while comfortably
seated on her car looking for her favorite song, a student
marveling at the intricate designs of a medieval cathedral
during his field trip, and a market vendor cheering for her
bet in a dance competition on a noontime TV program all
manifest concern for values that are undeniably, despite
tangentially, artistic.
Despite the
seemingly overflowing
instances of arts around
people, one still finds the
need to see more and
experience more, whether
consciously or
unconsciously. One whose
exposure to music is only
limited to one genre finds it
lacking not to have been
exposed to more. One, whose idea of a cathedral is limited
to the locally available ones, finds enormous joy in seeing
other prototypes in Europe. Plato had the sharpest foresight
when he discussed in the Symposium that beauty, the object
of any love, truly progresses. As one moves through life, one
locates better, more beautiful objects of desire (Scott,
2000). One can never be totally content with what is just
before him. Human beings are drawn toward what is good
and ultimately, beautiful.
ACTIVITY 1.1
JUST WRITE YOUR ANSWERIN THE REPLY SECTION
In the first column of the table below, list down your most striking encounters
with arts. On the second column, explain why you think each encounter is an
experience with art.
MY ENCOUNTER WITH
WHY
ARTS
WHY STUDY THE

HUMANITIES?
For as long as man existed in this planet,
he has cultivated the land, altered the conditions of the
fauna and the flora, in order to survive. Alongside these
necessities, man also marked his place in the world through
his works. Through his bare hands, man constructed
infrastructures that tended to his needs, like his house. He
sharpened swords and spears. He employed fire in order to
melt gold. The initial meaning of the word "art" has
something to do with all these craft.
The word "art" comes from the ancient
Latin, ars which means a "craft or specialized form of skill,
like carpentry or smithying or surgery" (Collingwood, 1938).
Art then suggested the capacity to produce an intended
result from carefully planned steps or method. When a man
wants to build a house, he plans meticulously to get to what
the prototype promises and he executes the steps to
produce the said structure, then he is engaged in art. The
Ancient World did not have any conceived notion of art in
the same way that we do now. To them, art only meant
using the bare hands to produce something that will be
useful to one's day-to-day life. came to mean something
different.
Ars in Medieval Latin came to mean something different. It meant “any

special form of book-learning, such as grammar or logic, magic or astrology”
(Collingwood, 1938). It was only during the Renaissance Period that the word
reacquired a meaning that was inherent in its ancient form of craft. Early
Renaissance artists saw their activities merely as craftsmanship, devoid of a whole
lot of intonations that are attached to the word now. It was during the seventeenth
century when the problem and idea of aesthetics, the study of beauty, began to
unfold distinctly from the notion of technical workmanship, which was the original
conception of the word "art." It was finally in the eighteenth century when the
word has evolved to distinguish between the fine arts and the useful arts. The fine
arts would come to mean “not delicate or highly skilled arts, but beautiful' arts”
(Collingwood, 1938). This is something more akin to what is now considered art.
CAVE PAINTINGS
"The humanities constitute one of the oldest and most important means of
expression developed by man" (Dudley et al., 1960). Human history has witnessed
how man evolved not just physically but also culturally, from cave painters to men
of exquisite paintbrush users of the present. Even if one goes back to the time
before written records of man's civilization has appeared, he can find cases of
man's attempts of not just crafting tools to live and survive but also expressing his
feelings and thoughts. The Galloping Wild Boar found in the cave of Altamira,
Spain is one such example. In 1879, a Spaniard and his daughter were exploring a
cave when they saw pictures of a wild boar, hind, and bison. According to experts,
these paintings were purported to belong to Upper Paleolithic Age, several
thousands of years before the current era. Pre-historic men, with their crude
instruments, already showcased and manifested earliest attempts at recording man's
innermost interests, preoccupations, and thoughts. The humanities, then, ironically,
have started even before the term has been coined. Human persons have long been
exercising what it means to be a human long before he was even aware of his being
one. The humanities stand tall in bearing witness to this magnificent phenomenon.
Any human person, then, is tasked to participate, if not, totally partake in this long
tradition of humanizing himself.
Assumptions of Art
Art is universal.
Literature has provided key works of art. Among the most popular
ones being taught in school are the two Greek epics, the Iliad and the Odyssey. The
Sanskrit pieces Mahabharata and Ramayana are also staples in this field. These
works, purportedly written before the beginning of recorded history, are believed
to be man's attempt at recording stories and tales that have been passed on, known,
and sung throughout the years. Art has always been timeless and universal,
spanning generations and continents through and through.
In every country and in every
generation, there is always art.
Oftentimes, people feel that what is
considered artistic are only those
which have been made long time
ago. This is a misconception Age is
not a factor in determining art. An
"...art is not good because it is old,
but old because it is good" (Dudley et
al., 1960). In the Philippines,
the (Dudley et al., 1960). In the
Philippines works of Jose Rizal and
Francisco Balagtas are not being
read because they are old.
Otherwise, works of other Filipinos
who have long died would have been required in junior high
school too. The pieces mentioned are read in school and
have remained to be with us because they are good. They
are liked and adored because they meet our needs and
desires. Florante at Laura never fails to teach high school
students the beauty of love, one that is universal and pure.
Ibong Adarna, another Filipino masterpiece, has always
captured the imagination of the young with its timeless
lessons. When we recite the Psalms, we feel in communion
with King David as we feel one with him in his conversation
with GOD.
IBONG ADARNA
When we listen to a kundiman or perform folk dances, we still enjoy the
way our Filipino ancestors whiled away their time in the past. We do not
necessarily like a kundiman for its original meaning. We just like it. We enjoy it.
Or just as one of the characters in the movie Bar Boys thought, kundiman makes
one concentrate better. The first assumption then about the humanities is that art
has been crafted by all people regardless of origin, time, place, and that it stayed on
because it is liked and enjoyed by people continuously. A great piece of work will
never be obsolete. Some people say that art is art for its intrinsic worth. In John
Stuart Mill's Utilitarianism (1879), enjoyment in the arts belongs to a higher good,
one that lies at the opposite end of base pleasures. Art will always be present
because human beings will always express themselves and delight in these
expressions. Men will continue to use art while art persists and never gets depleted.
Art is not nature

In the Philippines, it is not entirely novel to hear some consumers of
local movies remark that these movies produced locally are unrealistic, They
contend that local movies work around certain formula to the detriment of
substance and faithfulness to reality of the movies. These critical minds argue that
a good movie must reflect reality as closely as possible. Is that so?
Paul Cézanne, a French painter, painted a scene from reality entitled
Well and Grinding Wheel in the Forest of the Château Noir. The said scene is
inspired by a real scene in a forest around the Château Noir area near Aix in
Cézanne's native Provence, Comparing the two one can see that Cézanne's
landscape is quite different from the original scene. Cézanne has changed some
patterns and details from the way they were actually in the photograph. What he
did is not nature. It is art,
One important
characteristic of art is
that it is not nature,
Art is man's
expression of his
reception of nature.
Art is man's way of
interpreting nature,
Art is not nature, Art
is made by man,
whereas nature is a
given around us, it is
in this juncture that
they can be
considered opposites.
What we find in
nature should not be
expected to be present in art too Movies are not meant to be direct representation
of reality, They may, according to the moviemaker's perception of reality, be a
reinterpretation or even distortion of nature.
This distinction assumes that all of us see nature, perceive its
elements in myriad, different, yet ultimately valid ways. One can only imagine the
story of the five blind men who one day argue against each other on what an
elephant looks like. Each of the five blind men was holding a different part of the
elephant. The first was touching the body and thus, thought the elephant was like a
wall. Another was touching the beast's ear and was convinced that the elephant was
like a fan. The rest were touching other different parts of the elephant and
concluded differently based on their perceptions. Art is like each of these men's
view of the elephant. It is based on an individual's subjective experience of nature.
It is not meant, after all, to accurately define what the elephant is really like in
nature. Artists are not expected to duplicate nature just as even scientists with their
elaborate laboratories cannot make nature.
Once this point has been made, a student of humanities can then ask
further questions such as: What reasons might the artist have in creating
something? Why did Andres Bonifacio write "Pag-ibig sa Tinubuang Lupa"? What
motivation did Juan Luna have in creating his masterpiece, the Spoliarium? In
whatever work of art, one should always ask why the artist made it. What is it that
he wants to show?
Art involves experience.

Getting this far without a satisfactory definition of art can be quite
weird for some. For most people, art does not require a full definition. Art is just
experience. By experience, we mean the “actual doing of something" (Dudley et
al., 1960). When one says that he has an experience of something, he often means
that he knows what that something is about. When one claims that he has
experienced falling in love, getting hurt, and bouncing back, he in effect claims
that he knows the (sometimes) endless cycle of loving. When one asserts having
experienced preparing a particular recipe, he in fact asserts knowing how the recipe
is made. Knowing a thing is different from hearing from others what the said thing
is. A radio DJ dispensing advice on love when he himself has not experienced it
does not really know what he is talking about. A choreographer who cannot
execute a dance step himself is a bogus. Art is always an experience. Unlike fields
of knowledge that involve data, art is known by experiencing. A painter cannot
claim to know how to paint if he has not tried holding a brush. A sculptor cannot
produce a work of art if a chisel is foreign to him. Dudley et al. (1960) affirmed
that “[a]ll art depends on experience, and if one is to know art, he must know it not
as fact or information but as experience."
A work of art then cannot be abstracted from actual

doing. In order to know what an artwork is, we have to
sense it, see or hear it, and see AND hear it. To fully
appreciate our national hero's monument, one must go to
Rizal Park and see the actual sculpture. In order to know
Beyonce's music, one must listen to it to actually
experience them. A famous story about someone who adores Picasso goes
something like this: "Years ago, Gertrude Stein was asked why she bought the
pictures of the then unknown artist Picasso. 'I like to look at them,' said Miss Stein"
(Dudley et al., 1960). At the end of the day, one fully gets acquainted with art if
one immerses himself into it. In the case of Picasso, one only learns about Picasso's
work by looking at it. That is precisely what Miss Stein did.
In matters of art, the subject's perception is of primacy.
One can read hundreds of reviews about a particular movie, but at the end of the
day, until he sees the movie himself, he will be in no position to actually talk about
the movie. He does not know the movie until he experiences it. An important
aspect of experiencing art is its being highly personal, individual, and subjective.
In philosophical terms, perception of art is always a value judgment. It depends on
who the perceiver is, his tastes, his biases, and what he has inside him. Degustibus
non disputandum est (Matters of taste are not matters of dispute). One cannot argue
with another person's evaluation of art because one's experience can never be
known by another.
Finally, one should also underscore that every experience with art is
accompanied by some emotion. One either likes or dislikes, agrees or disagrees
that a work of art is beautiful. A stage play or motion picture is particularly one of
those art forms that evoke strong emotions from its audience. With experience
comes emotions and feelings, after all. Feelings and emotions are concrete proofs
that the artwork has been experiences.
Let's Wrap It Up
Humanities and the art have always been part of man's growth and
civilization. Since the dawn of time, man has always tried to express his innermost
thoughts and feelings about reality through creating art. Three assumptions on art
are its universality, its not being nature, and its need for experience. Art is present
in every part of the globe and in every period time. This is what is meant by its
universality. Art not being nature, not even attempting to simply mirror nature, is
the second assumption about art. Art is always a creation of the artist, not nature.
Finally, without experience, there is no art. The artist has to be foremost, a
perceiver who is directly in touch with art.
ART APRECIATION:
Creativity, imagination and
Expression
It takes an artist to make art. One may perceive beauty
on a daily basis. However, not every beautiful thing that can be seen or
experienced may truly be called a work of art. Art is a product of man's
creativity, imagination, and expression. No matter how perfectly
blended the colors of a sunset are and no matter how extraordinarily
formed mountains are, nature is not considered art simply because it
is not made by man. Not even photographs or sketches of nature,
though captured or drawn by man, are works of art, but mere
recordings of the beauty in nature (Collins & Riley, 1931). An artwork
may be inspired by nature or other works of art, but an artist invents
his own forms and patterns due to what he perceives as beautiful and
incorporates them in creating his masterpiece.
Perhaps not everyone can be considered an artist, but

surely, all are spectators of art. In deciding what pair of shoes to buy,
we carefully examine all possible choices within our budget and
purchase the one that satisfies our beauty and practical standards. We
are able to distinguish what is fine and beautiful from what is not and
what is good quality from poor. This gives us a role in the field of art
appreciation.
Art Appreciation as a way of Life

Jean-Paul Sartre, a famous French philosopher of the
twentieth century, described. the role of art as a creative work that
depicts the world in a completely different light and perspective, and
the source is due to human freedom (Greene, 1995). Each artwork
beholds beauty of its own kind, the kind that the artist sees and wants
the viewers to perceive. More often than not, people are blind to this
beauty and only those who have developed a fine sense of
appreciation can experience and see the art the same way the artist
did. Because of this, numerous artworks go unnoticed, artists are not
given enough credit, and they miss opportunities. It sometimes takes a
lifetime before their contribution to the development of art is
recognized. Hence, refining one's ability to appreciate art allows him
to deeply understand the purpose of an artwork and recognize the
beauty it possesses (Collins & Riley, 1931).
In cultivating an appreciation of art, one should also exercise

and develop his taste for things that are fine and beautiful. This allows
individuals to make intelligent choices and decisions in acquiring
necessities and luxuries, knowing what gives better value for time or
money while taking into consideration the aesthetic and practical
value (Collins & Riley, 1931). This continuous demand for aesthetically
valuable things influences the development and evolution of art and its
forms.
Frequenting museums, art galleries, performing arts theaters,

concert halls, or even malls that display art exhibitions that are free in
admission during leisure time will not only develop an understanding of
the art, but will also serve as a rewarding experience. Learning to
appreciate art, no matter what vocation or profession you have, will
lead to a fuller and more meaningful life (Collins & Riley, 1931).
The Role of Creativity in Art Making
Creativity requires thinking outside the box. It is often used

to solve problems that have never occurred before, conflate function
and style, and simply make life a more unique and enjoyable
experience. In art, creativity is what sets apart one artwork from
another. We say something is done creatively when we have not yet
seen anything like it or when it is out of the ordinary. A creative artist
does not simply copy or imitate another artist's work. He does not
imitate the lines, flaws, colors, and patterns in recreating nature. He
embraces originality, puts his own flavor into his work, and calls it his
own creative piece.
Yet, being creative nowadays can be quite challenging.

What you thought was your own unique and creative idea may not
what it seems to be after extensive research research and that
someone else has coincidentally devised before the idea in another
part of the world. For instance, the campaign ad "It's More Fun in the
Philippines” used by the Department of Tourism (DOT) boomed
popularity in 2011, but later on it was found out that it was allegedly
plagiarized from Switzerland's tourism slogan "It's More Fun in
Switzerland," back in 1951. In DOT's defense, former DOT Secretary
Ramon Jimenez Jr. claimed that it was "purely coincidental.” Thus,
creativity should be backed with careful research on related art to
avoid such conflicts.
Art as a Product of Imagination as a Product of Art
Art as a Product Where do you think famous writers, painters,

and musicians get their ideas? Where do ideas in making creative
solutions begin? It all starts in the human mind. It all begins with
imagination.
German physicist Albert Einstein who had made significant

and major contributions in science and humanity demonstrated that
knowledge is actually derived from imagination He emphasized this
idea through his words:
"Imagination is more important than knowledge. For
knowledge is limited to all we now know and understand, while
imagination embraces the entire world, and all there ever will be to
know and understand."
Imagination is not constrained by the walls of the norm, but

goes beyond that. That is why people rely on curiosity and imagination
for advancement. Through imagination, one is able to craft something
bold, something new, and something better in the hopes of creating
something that will stimulate change. Imagination allows endless
possibilities.
In an artist's mind sits a vast gallery of artworks. An

artwork does not need to be a real thing, but can be something that is
imaginary (Collingwood, 1938). Take for example a musician who
thinks of a tune in his head. The making of this tune in his head makes
it an imaginary tune, an imaginative creation, an imaginary art
(Collingwood, 1938). It remains imaginary until he hums, sings, or
writes down the notes of the tune on paper. However, something
imaginary does not necessarily mean it cannot be called art. Artists
use their imagination that gives birth to reality through creation.
In the same way that imagination produces art , art also

inspires imagination. Imagine being in an empty room surrounded by
blank, white walls, and floor. Would and libraries with paintings hung
or sculptures and other pieces of art placed around you be
inspired to work in such a place? Often, you will find coffee shops,
restaurants, and libraries with paintings hung or sculptures and other
pieces of art placed around the room to add beauty to the
surroundings. This craving and desire to be surrounded by beautiful
things dates back to our early ancestors (Collins & Riley, 1931). Cave
walls are surrounded by drawings and paintings of animals they
hunted: wild boars, reindeers, and bison (Figure 8). Clays were molded
and stones were carved into forms that resemble men and women;
burial jars were created with intricate designs on them. These creative
pieces were made not only because they were functional to men, but
also because beauty gave them joy (Collins & Riley, 1931).
Thomas Quine, ''Cave Paintings"
Art as Expression
There may have been times when you felt something is
going on within you, you try to explain it but you do not know how. You
may only be conscious about feeling this sort of excitement, fear, or
agitation, but you know that just one word is not enough to describe
the nature of what you truly feel. Finally, you try to release yourself
from this tormenting and disabling state by doing something, which is
called expressing oneself (Collingwood, 1938). Suppose this feeling is
excitement. It is frustrating to contain such feeling, so you relieve it by
expressing through shouting or leaping in excitement. An emotion will
remain unknown to a man until he expresses it.
Robin George Collingwood, an English philosopher who is
best known for his work in aesthetics, explicated in his publication
The Principles of Art (1938) that what an artist does to an emotion is
not to induce it, but express it. Through expression, he is able to
explore his own emotions and at the same time, create something
beautiful out of them. Collingwood further illustrated that expressing
emotions is something
different from describing emotions. In his example, explicitly saying “I
am angry” is not an expression of an emotion, but a mere description.
There is no need in relating or referring to a specific emotion, such as
anger, in expressing one's emotion. Description actually destroys the
idea of expression, as it classifies the emotion, making it ordinary and
predictable. Expression, on the other hand, individualizes. An artist
has the freedom
to express himself the way he wants to. Hence, there is no specific
technique in expression. This makes people's art not a reflection of
what is outside or external to them, but a reflection of their inner
selves.
There are countless ways of expressing oneself through art.
The following list includes, but is not limited to, popular art
expressions.
Visual Arts
Creations that fall under this category are those that appeal
to the sense of sight and are mainly visual in nature. Artists produce
visual arts driven by their desire to reproduce things that they have
seen in
the way that they perceived them (Collins & Riley, 1931). We will not
be too strict on the definition since there are other artistic disciplines
that also involve a visual aspect, such as performance arts, theater,
and applied arts, that will be discussed in detail later on. Visual arts is
the kind of art form that the population is most likely more exposed to,
but its variations are so diverse—they range from sculptures that you
see in art galleries to the last movie you saw.
Some mediums of visual arts include paintings, drawings,
letterings, printing, sculptures, digital imaging, and more.
John La Farge, " Camellia in old Chinese vase on black table"

Film
Film refers to the art of putting together successions of

still images in order to create an illusion of movement. Filmmaking
focuses on its aesthetic, cultural, and social value and is considered
as both an art and an industry. Films can be created by using one or a
combination of some or all of these techniques: motion-picture camera
(also known as movie camera), animation techniques, Computer-
Generated Imagery (CGI), and more. Filmmaking simulates
experiences or creates one that is beyond the scope of our
imagination as it aims to deliver ideas, feelings, or beauty to its
viewers.
The art of filmmaking is so complex it has to take into account many important
elements such as lighting, musical score, visual effects, direction, and more. That is why in
famous film festivals and awards such as the Metro Manila Film Festival and Oscars, a long list
of categories is considered to recognize excellence in the art of filmmaking.
Performance Art
Performance art is a live art and the artist's medium is
mainly the human body which he or she uses to perform, but also
employs other kind of art such as visual art, props, or sound. It usually
consists of four important elements: time, where the performance took
place, the performer's or performer's body, and a relationship between
the audience and the performer(s) (Moma Learning, n.d.). The fact that
performance art is live makes it intangible, which means it cannot be
bought or traded as a commodity, unlike the previously discussed art
expressions.
Poetry Performance
Poetry is an art form where the artist expresses his
emotions not by using paint, charcoal, or camera, but expresses them
through words. These words are carefully selected to exhibit clarity
and beauty and to stimulate strong emotions of joy, anger, love,
sorrow, and the list goes on. It uses a word's emotional, musical, and
spatial values that go beyond its literal meaning to narrate, emphasize,
argue, or convince. These words, combined with movements, tone,
volume, and intensity of the delivery, add to the artistic value of the
poem. Some poets even make poems out of their emotions picked up
from other works of art, which in turn produce another work of art
through poetry.
Architecture
As discussed, art is the pursuit and creation of
beautiful things while architecture is the making of beautiful buildings.
However, not all buildings are beautiful. Some buildings only embody
the functionality they need, but the structure, lines, forms, and colors
are not beautifully expressed. Thus, not all buildings can be
considered architecture. Take, for example, the Grand Théâtre de
Bordeaux (Figure 11) where the functionality of the theater remains,
but the striking balance of the lines, colors, and shapes completes the
masterpiece. Buildings should embody these three important
elements-plan, construction, and design—if they wish to merit the title
architecture (Collins & Riley, 1931).
The Grand Theater de Bordeaux
Dance
Dance is a series of movements that follows the rhythm of

the music accompaniment. It has been an age-old debate whether
dance can really be considered an art form, but here we primarily
describe dance as a form of expression. Dancing is a creative form
that allows people to freely express themselves. It has no rules. You
may say that choreography does not allow this, but in art expression,
dancers are not confined to set steps and rules but are free to create
and invent their own movements as long as they deem them graceful
and beautiful.
Olga Spessiva in Swan Lake Costume
Literary Art
Artists who practice literary arts use

words—not paint, musical instruments,
or chisels—to express themselves and
communicate emotions to the readers.
However, simply becoming a writer
does not make one a literary artist.
Simply constructing a succession of
sentences in a meaningful manner is
not literary art. Literary art goes
beyond the usual professional,
academic, journalistic, and other
technical forms of writing. It focuses
on writing using a unique style, not
following a specific format or norm. It
may include both fiction and non-fiction such as novels, biographies,
and poems. Examples of famous literary artists and their works
include The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry and Romeo and
Juliet by William Shakespeare.
William Shakespeare
Theater
Theater uses live performers to present accounts or
imaginary events before a live audience. Theater art performances
usually follow a script, though they should not be confused with
literary arts. Much like in filmmaking, theater also considers several
elements such as acting, gesture, lighting, sound effects, musical
score, scenery, and props. The combination of these elements is what
gives the strongest impression on the audience and the script thus
becomes a minor element. Similar to performance art, since theater is
also a live performance, the participation of the viewer is an important
element in theater arts. Some genres of theater include drama,
musical, tragedy, comedy, and
improvisation.
Macbeth
Applied Arts
Applied arts is
incorporating elements of style and
design to everyday items with the
aim of increasing their aesthetical
value. Artists in this field bring
beauty, charm, and comfort into
many things that are useful in everyday life (Collins & Riley, 1931).
Industrial design, interior design, fashion design, and graphic design
are considered applied arts. Applied is often compared to fine arts,
where the latter is chiefly concerned on aesthetic value. Through
exploration and expression of ideas, consideration of the needs, and
careful choice of materials and techniques, artists are able to combine
functionality and style. Let's Wrap It Up Art is a product of a man's
creativity, imagination, and expression. An artwork may be inspired by
nature or other works of art, but an artist invents his own forms and
patterns due to what he perceives as beautiful and incorporates them
in creating his masterpiece. Perhaps not everyone can be considered
an artist, but surely, all are spectators of art, which gives us all a role
in the field of art appreciation. Refining one's ability to appreciate art
allows him to deeply understand the purpose of an artwork and
recognize the beauty it possesses.
Creativity is what sets apart one artwork from another.
A creative artist does not simply copy or imitate another artist's work.
He does not imitate the lines, flaws, colors, and patterns in recreating
nature. While through imagination, an artist is able to craft something
bold, something new, and something better in the hopes of creating
something that will stimulate change. In the same way that
imagination produces art, art also inspires imagination. Lastly, through
expression, an artist is able to explore his own emotions while at the
same time, create something beautiful out of it. Expressing emotions
is something different from describing emotions. Description actually
destroys the idea of expression, as it classifies the emotion, making it
ordinary and predictable. Expression, on the other hand, individualizes
the artist.
Some forms of art expression include visual arts, film,

performance art, poetry performance, architecture, dance, literary
arts, theater arts, and applied arts.
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Functions and Philosophical

Perspective on Art
Greek philosopher Aristotle claimed that every particular substance in the world has an
end, or telos in Greek, which translates into "purpose." Every substance, defined as a formed
matter, moves according to a fixed path toward its aim. A seed is bound to become a full-grown
plant. A cocoon can look forward to flying high when it morphs into a butterfly. A baby will
eventually turn into a grown man or woman.
Aristotle
This telos, according to Aristotle, is intricately linked with function. For a thing to
reach its purpose, it also has to fulfill its function. Man, in Aristotle's view of reality, is bound to
achieve a life of fulfillment and happiness, or in Greek, eudaimonia. All men move toward this
final end. However, happiness, the supposed end of man, is linked with his function, which is
being rational. One can only be happy when he is rational. This means that to Aristotle, plants
can never be happy because they are not rational, as well as tables and chairs. Man's natural end,
telos, is connected with his function, which is his rationality.
Moreover, the telos and function of a thing are both related to a thing's identity. What
makes a table a table is the fact that it does perform its function and thereby, reaching its telos. If
a table does not have a surface on which we can put on our books or our plates and glasses, then
it ceases to be a table. The same goes for the human being. What makes a human being a human
being, according to some schools of thought, is his capacity for thinking, his supposed function.
Without this function, the human being ceases to be a human being. The telos, the function, and
the "whatness" of a thing are all interconnected.
In contemporary life, the connection between the end, the function, and the "whatness"
of a thing has become closer and more interlaced, suggesting sometimes that the end is the
function and vice versa, and that they determine what kind of thing a thing is. When one sees a
new kitchen appliance in the department store, one tries to know first what functions the
appliance has. After knowing these functions, then one can claim to know the purpose of the
appliance and then begins to realize what appliance one is holding in his arms.
Does art necessarily have an end? When an artist creates a work of art, does he have an
end in mind? What function does an artwork perform? Does it have any purpose? Do all
artworks have a function? Does the function make an object a work of art? This lesson is an
attempt to clarify these questions.
Functions of Art
When one speaks of function, one is practically talking about the use of the object whose
function is in question. An inquiry on the function of art is an inquiry on what art is for.
Alternatively, the answer to the question "what is it for" is the function of whatever "it" in the
question refers to. Suppose one asks, what is the Rizal monument for? Why was it erected in
Rizal Park or what then was called Luneta or Bagumbayan? Is it for pure sentimental value? Is it
for its aesthetic value? Or does it send a message to those who witness it? In this string of
questions, the inquirer is hoping to get the function of the piece of art in Rizal Park.
When it comes to function, different art forms come with distinctive functions. There is
no one-to-one correspondence between an art and its function. Some art forms are more
functional than others. Architecture, for example, as an art is highly functional just like most
applied arts. A building as a work of art is obviously made for a specific purpose. The Taj
Mahal, a massive mausoleum of white marble built in Agra was constructed in memory of the
favorite wife of the then emperor, Shah Jahan. On the other hand, jewelry-making as an art is
known by its product. The name of the art in these applied arts is basically denoted by its
specified function. In this and other such functional arts, "...function is so important that it has
usurped the name of the art on the identification of individual works" (Dudley et al., 1960).
Other examples are paintings, poems, and statues. The name of the art basically points toward
the direction of the product or its function.
Jewelry making in Malaysia
On the other end of the spectrum, one can only think of painting and literature as forms of
art that have the least to do with purely practical values. When one examines and thinks of a
painting or a work of literature such as a poem or a novel, one looks at the value of the art in
itself and not because of what it can do and benefit us. Unlike practical arts where the value of
the art in pottery, jewelry-making, architecture, among others) in question lies in the practical
benefits one gains from it (a pot, a jewelry, or a house or building), with painting
and literature, one can only look at the value of the product of art in and for itself. A poem is
beautiful regardless of its possible ramifications in the society. Joyce Kilmer's "Trees” has
maintained its popularity through the years regardless of its application or practical benefit. This
definitely is not to say that paintings and literary works can never have any function. The two
masterpieces of our national hero, Dr. Jose P. Rizal, the Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo
served as a catechist for Filipino revolutionaries to gather strength in rejecting the oppressive
forces of the Spaniards in the Philippines in the nineteenth century . The novels accrued value
and as a consequence, function. This function as it turns out, may be over and beyond its literary
worth. They are functional "in so far as they are designed to accomplish some definite end"
(Dudley et al., 1960). In the case of Rizal's novels, they spelled out a country's independence.
They continue to be treasured even a hundred years after their supposed functions.
Roughly and broadly, the functions of art are classified into three: personal (public
display or expression), social (celebration or to affect collective behavior), and physical
(utilitarian). Let us try to understand each of these three.
Personal Functions of Art

The personal functions of art are varied and highly subjective. This means that its
functions depend on the person—the artist who created the art. An artist may create an art out of
the need for self-expression. This is the case for an artist who needs to communicate an idea to
his audience. It can also be mere entertainment for his intended audience. Often, the artist may
not even intend to mean anything with his work.
An Adult Coloring Book

An art may also be therapeutic. In some orphanages and home for abandoned elders, art
is used to help residents process their emotions or while away their time. Recently, the use of
adult coloring books to de-stress has been apparent too, now with a lot of designs being sold in
bookstores nationwide. These all fall under personal functions of art
Social Functions of Art
Art is considered to have a social function if and when it addresses a particular
collective interest as opposed to a personal interest. Political art is a very common example of an
art with a social function. Art may convey message of protest, contestation, or whatever message
the artist intends his work to carry. Often, art can also depict social conditions. Photography, as
an art form, delivers this kind of function by taking photos of subjects in conditions that people
do not normally take a look at or give attention to. Pictures of poverty may carry emotional
overtones that may solicit action or awareness from their audience. Moreover, performance art
like plays or satires can also rouse emotions and rally people toward a particular end. In these
and more, the social function of art is apparent.
Physical Functions of Art

The physical functions of art are the easiest to spot and understand. The physical functions
of art can be found in artworks that are crafted in order to serve some physical purpose. A
Japanese raku bowl that serves a physical function in a tea ceremony is an example.
Architecture, jewelrymaking, and even interior design are all forms of arts that have physical
function.
A Japanese Raku Bowl

Other Functions of Art
Music as an art is also interesting to talk about in relation to function. Music in its
original form was principally functional. Music was used for dance and religion. Unlike today,
when one can just listen to music for the sake of music's sake, the ancient world saw music only
as an instrument to facilitate worship and invocation to gods. Music also was essential to dance
because music assures synchronicity among dancers. Moreover, music also guarantees that
marches, in the case of warriors, were simultaneous.
Today, music has expanded its function and coverage. Music is listened to and made by
people for reasons that were foreign to early civilizations. There is now a lot of music that has no
connection whatsoever to dance or religion. Serenade is one example. People compose hymns of
love to express feelings and emotions. Music is also used as a wonderful accompaniment to stage
plays and motion pictures. Interestingly, a piece of music can mean a multitude of meanings to
different people, a proof that as an art, music has gone a long way.
Sculpture, on the other hand, is another functional art form that has long existed for
various purposes. Just like music, from the early days of humanity, sculptures have been made
by man most particularly for religion. People erect status for the divine. In the Roman Catholic
world, the employment of sculptures for religious purposes has remained vital, relevant, and
symbolic.
Sculptures were also made in order to commemorate important figures in history. Jose Rizal's
monument in Rizal Park and Andres Bonifacio's Monumento in Caloocan are common
examples. In the University of the Philippines, the iconic statue Oblation by Guillermo E.
Tolentino has remained a pillar of the university and constant reminder of the need to offer
oneself up selflessly for the country. Coins are also manifestations of sculpting's function. Every
coin in the Philippines features a relief of a famous hero or personality. Recently, the Central
Bank of the Philippines produced special, commemorative coins for certain personalities like
Pope Francis and the Jesuit, Horacio de la Costa.
Pope Francis Commemorative Coin
Another art form that readily lends itself to multiple functions is architecture. In fact,
architecture might be the most prominent functional art form. Buildings are huge, expensive, and
are not easily constructed and replaced. Unlike other forms of art like pots, furniture, poetry, or
even paintings, buildings take so much time to erect and destroy. A lot of investments is put into
making megastructures like the pyramids of Giza, the acropolis, or the great cathedrals of the
Middle Ages. One cannot simply dismiss taking into consideration the function of a building
before construction.
It is also in architecture where one can find the intimate connection of function and
form. In planning out an architectural structure, one has to seriously consider the natural
conditions like topography and climate of the place of erection and the social conditions such as
the purpose of the building itself. In the Philippines, climate is a huge factor in building a house,
Spanish colonial houses were designed to allow for air to circulate inside the house. Large
windows were staples then. Capiz shells were also utilized to allow for light to enter the house
even if the windows were closed. Moreover, social conditions, such as purpose, play a huge role
in architecture. To Christians, a church is primarily a place of worship and assembly. Regular

ceremonies, where members of the church are expected to come regularly, are held inside the
church. A huge, spacious church therefore is necessitated by this social condition. Indeed,
whenever art serves a particular function, the form has to be determined by the function.
A Spanish House in the Philippines
Does Art Always Have to be Functional?

While it has been shown that most arts are functional, still there are some which are not.
The value of a work of art does not depend on function but on the work itself. The plays of
Aeschylus and the poetry of Robert Frost and Edgar Allan Poe are still counted as examples of
great works of art despite their not having a known function, In those whose functions are
ascertained, however, it is a different story. A functional object cannot be claimed to be beautiful
unless it can perform its function sufficiently. Consider a house that cannot even protect its
resident from the nasty weather outside or a spoon that spills the food on it. Adequate
performance of function partly determines the beauty of a design in these functional art forms.
Despite these, efficiency cannot be mistaken as beauty. While it certainly determines
beauty in some works of art, an efficient functional object is not necessarily beautiful. Art
demands so much more than mere efficiency. What then really comprises beauty and art? What
makes something truly beautiful? What really makes a work of art? What really is art? The next
section attempts to provide different perspectives on the nature of art.
Philosophical Perspectives on Art

Art as an Imitation
Plato (2000) in his masterpiece, The Republic, particularly paints a picture of artists as
imitators and art as mere imitation. In his description of the ideal republic, Plato advises against
the inclusion of art as a subject in the curriculum and the banning of artists in the Republic. In
Plato's metaphysics or view of reality, the things in this world are only copies of the original, the
eternal, and the true entities that can only be found in the World of Forms. Human beings
endeavor to reach the Forms all throughout this life, starting with formal education in school.
From looking at “shadows in the cave," men slowly crawl outside to behold the real entities in
the world. For example, the chair that one sits on is not a real chair. It is an imperfect copy of the
perfect "chair" in the World of Forms. Much is true for "beauty" in this world. When one
ascribes beauty to another person, he refers to an imperfect beauty that participates only in the
form of beauty in the World of Forms. Plato was convinced that artists merely reinforce the
belief in copies and discourage men to reach for the real entities in the World of Forms.
Plato
Plato was deeply suspicious of arts and artists for two reasons: they appeal to the
emotion rather than to the rational faculty of men and they imitate rather than lead one to reality.
Poetry and painting, the art forms that Plato was particularly concerned with, do not have any
place in the ideal state that Socrates (as the protagonist) in Plato's dialogue envisions. First, Plato
is critical of the effects of art, specifically, poetry to the people of the ideal state. Poetry rouses
emotions and feelings and thus, clouds the rationality of people, Poetry has a capacity to sway
minds without taking into consideration the use of proper reason. As such, it leads one further
away from the cultivation of the intellect that Plato campaigned for. Likewise, Socrates is
worried that art objects represent only the things in this world, copies themselves of reality. As
such, in the dialogue, Socrates claimed that art is just an imitation of imitation. A painting is just
an imitation of nature, which is also just an imitation of reality in the World of Forms.
The arts then are to be banished, alongside the practitioners, so that the attitudes and
actions of the members of the Republic will not be corrupted by the influence of the arts. For
Plato, art is dangerous because it provides a petty replacement for the real entities that can only
be attained through reason.
Art as a Representation
Aristotle, Plato's most important student in philosophy, agreed with his teacher that art is
a form of imitation. However, in contrast to the disgust that his master holds for art, Aristotle
considered art as an aid to philosophy in revealing truth. The kind of imitation that art does is not
antithetical to the reaching of fundamental truths in the world. Talking about tragedies, for
example, Aristotle (1902) in the Poetics claimed that poetry is a literary representation in
general. Akin to other art forms, poetry only admits of an attempt to represent what things might
be. For Aristotle, all kinds of art, including poetry, music, dance, painting, and sculpture, do not
aim to represent reality as it is. What art endeavors to do is to provide a vision of what might be
or the myriad possibilities in reality. Unlike Plato who thought that art is an imitation of another
imitation, Aristotle conceived of art as representing possible versions of reality.
In the Aristotelian worldview, art serves two particular purposes. First, art allows for
the experience of pleasure. Experiences that are otherwise repugnant can become entertaining in
art. For example, a horrible experience can be made an object of humor in a comedy. Secondly,
art also has an ability to be instructive and teach its audience things about life; thus, it is
cognitive as well. Greek plays are usually of this nature.
Art as a Disinterested Judgment

In the third critique that Immanuel Kant wrote, the "Critique of Judgement," Kant
considered the judgment of beauty, the cornerstone of art, as something that can
be universal despite its subjectivity. Kant mentioned that judgment of beauty, and therefore, art,
is innately autonomous from specific interests. It is the form of art that is adjudged by one who
perceives art to be beautiful or more so, sublime. Therefore, even aesthetic judgment for Kant is
a cognitive activity.
Kant recognized that judgment of beauty is subjective. However, Kant advanced the
proposition that even subjective judgments are based on some universal criterion for the said
judgment. In the process, Kant responded to the age-old question of how and in what sense can a
judgment of beauty, which ordinarily is considered to be a subjective feeling, be considered
objective or universal. How is this so? For Kant, when one judges a particular painting as
beautiful, one in effect is saying that the said painting has induced a particular feeling of
satisfaction from him and that he expects the painting to rouse the same feeling from anyone.
There is something in the work of art that makes it capable of inciting the same feeling of
pleasure and satisfaction from any perceiver, regardless of his condition. For Kant, every human
being, after perception and the free play of his faculties, should recognize the beauty that is
inherent in a work of art. This is the kind of universality that a judgment of beauty is assumed by
Kant to have. So when the same person says that something is beautiful, he does not just believe
that the thing is beautiful for him, but in a sense, expects that the same thing should put
everyone in awe.
Immanuel Kant
Art as a Communication of Emotion

The author of War and Peace and Anna Karenina, Leo Tolstoy, provided another perspective on
what art is. In his book, What is Art (2016), Tolstoy defended the production of the sometimes
truly extravagant art, like operas, despite extreme poverty in the world. For him, art plays a huge
role in communication to its audience's emotions that the artist previously experienced. Art then
serves as a language, a communication device that articulates feelings and emotions that are
otherwise unavailable to the audience. In the same way that language communicates information
to other people, art communicates emotions. In listening to music, in watching an opera, and in
reading poems, the audience is at the receiving end of the artist communicating his feelings and
emotions.
Tolstoy is fighting for the social dimension of art. As a purveyor of man's innermost feelings and
thoughts, art is given a unique opportunity to serve as a mechanism for social unity. Art is central
to man's existence because it makes accessible feelings and emotions of people from the past and
present, from one continent to another. In making these possibly latent feelings and emotions
accessible to anyone in varied time and location, art serves as a mechanism of cohesion for
everyone. Thus, even at present, one can commune with early Cambodians and their struggles by
visiting the Angkor Wat or can definitely feel for the early royalties of different Korean
dynasties by watching Korean dramas. Art is what allows for these possibilities.
Cambodia's Angkor Wat
Let's Wrap It Up
Art has remained relevant in our daily lives because most of it has played some form of
function for man. Since the dawn of the civilization, art has been at the forefront of giving color
to man's existence. The different functions of art may be classified as either personal, social, or
physical. An art's function is personal if it depends on the artist herself or sometimes still, the
audience of the art. There is a social function in art if and when it has a particular social function,
when it addresses a collective need of a group of people. Physical function, finally, has
something to do with direct, tangible uses of art. Not all products of art have function. This
should not disqualify them as art though. As mentioned and elucidated by some of the most
important thinkers in history, art may serve either as imitation, representation, a disinterested
judgment, or simply a communication of emotion.

Arts Appreciation Module 1-3

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Saint Estanislao Kostka College, Inc.

GEN ED 6 ARTS APPRECIATION SUMMER CLASS 2021-2022

JUST WRITE YOUR ANSWERIN THE REPLY SECTION

WHY STUDY THE

Ars in Medieval Latin came to mean something different. It meant “any

Art is not nature

Art involves experience.

A work of art then cannot be abstracted from actual

Perhaps not everyone can be considered an artist, but

Art Appreciation as a way of Life

In cultivating an appreciation of art, one should also exercise

Frequenting museums, art galleries, performing arts theaters,

The Role of Creativity in Art Making

Creativity requires thinking outside the box. It is often used

Yet, being creative nowadays can be quite challenging.

Art as a Product of Imagination as a Product of Art

Art as a Product Where do you think famous writers, painters,

German physicist Albert Einstein who had made significant

Imagination is not constrained by the walls of the norm, but

In an artist's mind sits a vast gallery of artworks. An

In the same way that imagination produces art , art also

Thomas Quine, ''Cave Paintings"

John La Farge, " Camellia in old Chinese vase on black table"

Film refers to the art of putting together successions of

The Grand Theater de Bordeaux

Dance is a series of movements that follows the rhythm of

Artists who practice literary arts use

Some forms of art expression include visual arts, film,

Functions and Philosophical

Jewelry making in Malaysia

Personal Functions of Art

An Adult Coloring Book

Physical Functions of Art

A Japanese Raku Bowl

Pope Francis Commemorative Coin

in architecture. To Christians, a church is primarily a place of worship and assembly. Regular

A Spanish House in the Philippines

Does Art Always Have to be Functional?

Philosophical Perspectives on Art

Art as a Disinterested Judgment

Art as a Communication of Emotion

Cambodia's Angkor Wat

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