ZGE 1101 Art Apprectiation

Art is a boundless subject that has enchanted humanity for

Theories of millennia, functioning as a crucial channel for the

articulation of thoughts, sentiments, and interpretations of
the human experience. This intricate and multifaceted

Art subject has spurred countless debates among philosophers,

artists, and scholars, giving rise to an array of philosophical
perspectives that seek to decipher its essence and
purpose.
Mimetic | Imitationism

Art is good when it imitates reality. An

Imitationalist artist focuses on mimicking and
representing real life. In a successful piece of
art, the textures, light, shadows, human
proportions, and perspective are all highly
realistic, as if you could reach out and touch
them.

The imitationism or mimetic theory of art

claims that artwork is best when it imitates
life.
 Formalism

Formalism, as a philosophy of
art, focuses on the formal
qualities of art, such as
composition, colour, line, shape,
and texture. It argues that the
aesthetic value of art is
derived from its formal
elements and their
arrangement, irrespective of its
content or context. Formalists
believe that art should be
analyzed and appreciated
based solely on its visual or
structural aspects.
 The Institutional Theory of art asserts that something
Institutional becomes art when it is designated as such by the institutions
and practices within the art world, such as museums,
Theory galleries, and critics. According to this view, the context and
the role of the art world are paramount in determining what
qualifies as art.
 The varied work produced by the Abstract
Expressionists resists definition as a cohesive style;
Abstract instead, these artists shared an interest in using
abstraction to convey strong emotional or
Expressionism expressive content.
There are two types of Abstract Expressionist
painters, Action painters, and Color Field painters.
 Functionalism
It asserts that the value of art is
determined by and therefore
reducible to their practical function or
purpose.
The most famous slogan of the
functionalist movement was "form
follows function," whose originator was
the American architect Louis Sullivan.
It consists in the claim that there is
nothing to aesthetics (beauty) in
addition to what follows from function.
This has also been called "austere
functionalism;" it implies that aesthetic
considerations are altogether
unnecessary, since aesthetics will be
automatically taken care of if function
is dealt with adequately.
 Expressivism

Expressivism, emphasises the

artist’s emotional or
psychological expression as the
primary purpose of art.
According to this view, art serves
as a means for artists to convey
their inner feelings, thoughts,
and experiences, inviting
viewers to connect with the
artist on an emotional level.
The Physical Impossibility of Death In The Mind of Someone
Living by Damien Hirst, 1991 One and Three Chairs by Joseph Kosuth, 1965

A philosophical perspective that emerged in the

late 20th century, challenges traditional art
conventions and questions the existence of a single,
Postmodernism objective meaning in art.
It emphasizes the diversity of human experience
and multiplicity of perspectives/interpretations and
often incorporates elements of past styles,
recontextualizing them to blur the boundaries
between high and low culture.
Napoleon Crossing the Alps or Bonaparte at the St Bernard Pass.
Jacques-Louis David, 1800–01
Representational
It states that the fundamental, definitive
quality of art is the ability to capture
some aspect of reality. In short, if it's not a
reflection of something that actually
exists, then it's not art. This means that art
can be defined foremost as an extension
of human perception; it's a way to reflect
the ways that the mind perceives and
understands reality.
Representational artwork aims to
represent actual objects or subjects from
reality.
It is sometimes known as Figurative art.
Portraying something that physically exists
in reality, such as a landscape, a still life,
or a portrait, Representational artworks
are instantly recognizable once they are
created. As it is one of the most
identifiable genres of art.
 Aesthetic
Hedonism

It is the influential view in the

field of aesthetics that beauty
or aesthetic value can be
defined in terms of pleasure,
e.g. that for an object to be
beautiful is for it to cause
pleasure or that the experience
of beauty is always
accompanied by pleasure.
 Conclusion
Art is a realm of boundless creativity and complexity, and these theories provide valuable
lenses through which to understand and appreciate it. While these theories offer distinct
perspectives on art’s nature and purpose, it’s essential to recognize that art is not confined to
a single theory/philosophy. Many artists and artworks draw inspiration from multiple
philosophies or transcend categorization altogether.
Ultimately, these theories remind us that art is a dynamic and ever-evolving field that
continues to push boundaries, challenge norms, and provoke meaningful discourse. By
exploring these philosophies, we gain a deeper appreciation for the rich trajectory of human
creativity that encompasses the world of art.
 ZGE 1101 Art Appreciation

Thank You! DBDumo