Module 1

UNDERSTANDING
THE ARTS

Dr. James Loreto C. Piscos

ART AS HUMAN
PHENOMENON  “None except human
beings makes art to better
understand life or to
communicate passions or
ideas to other”
(From Lazzari, Exploring Art: A global Thematic Theme
p.3)
Picture taken personally at the Museum of the Modern Art
in New York,
Painting of Pablo Picasso
Main sources for this lecture are coming from Lazzari,
Exploring Art
 Ortiz, Ma. Aurora, et al. Art Perception and
Appreciation. Manila: JMC Press, 2002.
 Zulueta, Francisco. The Humanities Revised
Edition. Manila: 24K Printing Co., Inc., 2003.
 www.louvre.fr – Musee de Louvre, Paris, France
 www.mv.vatican.va – Vatican Museum
Approaches in Defining Art

 Etymology
 Nature
 Functions
Art as Creation
 Creation means
Etymology of thecombining
word art from
or re-ordering
Latin “ars” already
meaning
skill
existing materials so that a new object is formed
 In Greek
Art is a planned
“techne”activity
from which technology is coming
 in
Each finished product is an expression of order
Art and Nature

 Art is not nature

 Work of art is man-made
 Closes we do is we resemble to
natural things
 In many ways, we use art to
improve nature
Art and Beauty
 The desire for beauty and
order is a human need
 A thing of beauty gives us
pleasure, and the delight
we experience is what we
call aesthetic pleasure
 In Greek aesthetic means
to perceive with the
senses
The Nature of Art: Its Everywhere
 Deconstruct the idea that
it is only for those who
can afford
 High art and low art
 It exists all forms of
communities ethnic
communities
 We find art at all times
from prehistoric to the
contemporary era
 Art serves some
fundamental human
needs
Functions of Art as a human phenomenon

 personal, social and

physical
Function in Art
 Function means 3. Our physical needs for
practical usefulness utilitarian objects and
 Art has the general structures
function of satisfying:
1. Our individual needs for
personal expression
2. Our social needs for
display, communication
and celebration
 1. The Personal Function of Art
1. Vehicles for the expression
and communication of
feelings and ideas
2. Therapeutic Value
3. Defense against the many
unpleasant and strident
sounds and sights
4. Art educate the senses and
sharpen our perception of
colors, forms, textures,
designs, sounds, rhythms
and harmonies in our
environment
Personal…

5. Art offers the best

insights into nature
and human nature so
that we gain a better
understanding of
ourselves and the
world around us.
Art as Expression and Communication

 It is difficult to contain
emotion
 We express our inner
selves through visible
signs and activities
 Human beings always
make use of symbols
 Each work of art is
evidently the
expression of an
artist’s personal
viewpoint
 It is at the same time
an expression of a
general vision of the
age in which it was
created.
Take the case of the evolution of PIETA in man’s
journey to get the affection of the divine

Michelangelo Ferdinand Victor Vincent van Gogh

(Renaissance) Eugene de la Croix (Expressionism, Avant-garde)
(Romanticism)
2. Social Functions of Art
1. it seeks or tends to
influence the collective
behavior of a people
2. It is created to be seen or
used primarily in public
situations
3. It expresses or describes
social or collective
aspects of existence as
opposed to individual and
personal kinds of
experiences.
1. Influencing Social Behavior
 Art is an ideological tool
 Subliminal forms of social
control shown especially
in the political game in the
Philippines
 It is use to ridicule people
and institutions
 Religion capitalized the art
in spreading faith and
doctrines
 Advertisements, posters
and billboards
2. Display and Celebration

a. statues and sculpture b. Rituals and festivals

commemoration of the employ arts be it
great people in the land Christmas, holy week, and
almost all parks in the any other celebrations
country had the statue of
Rizal
Imagine Edsa and the
mural erected in the place
2. Display and Celebrations
3. Social Description

 Describing social  Serves as clues to

milieu in a given the history of certain
particular context civilization and
 artifacts generation
Physical Functions of Art

1. Forms and 2. Architecture

Functions Design of building is
Chair is made where a determined by its
body can sit operational function
comfortably Example:
Shape of spoon and Place of worship
fork based on its requires big hall
function Hotel/motel need for
privacy
Physical Functions of Art

3. Community c. Civic centers

Planning locates government
Assignment of land services
areas for proper d. Parks and malls
land use e. Streets and roads
Considerations are:
a. Residential districts
b. Industrial and
commercial areas
4. Function and Beauty
 Consider the
personality of the  Harmonious
owner in building a
arrangement of
house
various elements
 Consider the
buildings nearby as
in the case of
Intramuros and
Vigan
Summary/Synopsis

 Mysterium
Tremendum et
Fascinans
 Human Being as
Homo Ludens
Assignment

 Required Reading:
Chapter 4
 Deriving Meaning in
Art pp. 83 -98 in
Lazzari, Exploring
Art…