FUNCTIONS AND

PHILOSOPHY OF
ART
BY: GLADYS AN
/ESPERANZA
LEARNING OUTCOMES;

At the end of the lesson, the students should be

able to:
• Describe the functions and philosophy of art.
• Clarify misconceptions of art.
THE FUNCTIONS OF ART
Every art form has definite function since it satisfies a particular need. To the
layman art may have little function. Some find meaning in art in its ability to
serve the purpose for which it was designed. Obviously ,architecture is directly
and almost entirely functional because buildings and other structures are always
built for some special purpose.
Music and dance are used in ancient rituals and worship of the gods ,for social
and folk entertainment ,as well as in the military. Paintings and sculpture may be
used to narrate events, to portray people or events to instruct(as in the case of
Christian art ) to commemorate individuals or historical events , and to serve as
vehicles personal expressions. Metal works such as gates, grills ,lamp , Christian
religious objects, armor ,weapons tile work ,textile and furniture are among the
many types of art crafts, Each of these example is made for some definite and
specific use.
THE SEVEN(7) FUNCTION OF
ART ARE:
1. AESTHETIC FUNCTION- Through art, man becomes conscious of the beauty
of nature. He benefits from his own work from those done by his fellowmen. He
learns to use ,love and preserve them for his enjoyment and appreciation.
2. UTILITARIAN FUNCTION–with the creation of the various forms of art, man
now lives in comfort and happiness. Through art man is provided with shelter
clothing ,food, light, medicine ,beautiful surrounding, personal ornamentals,
entertainment, language, transportation ,and other necessities and conveniences
of life. Art does not only enrich mans life.it also improves nature through
landscape gardening, creation of super highways, and through propagation and
conversation of natural resources.
THE SEVEN(7)ART OF FUNCTION
ARE:
3.CULTURAL FUNCTION- Through the printed matter, art
transmits and preserve skills and knowledge from one generation to
another , it makes man aware of his cultural background ,making him
more knowledgeable making his life more enduring and satisfying.
4. SOCIAL FUNCTION- Through civic and graphic arts ,man learn
to love and help each other .International understanding and
cooperation are fostered and nations become more unified friendly ,
cooperative ,helpful and sympathetic .
THE SEVEN ART OF FUNCTION ARE:
5.POLITICAL FUNCTION- art reinforces and enhance a sense of
identity and ideological connection to specific political views ,political
parties and politicians.

6.EDUCATIONAL FUNCTION- there are art symbols and signs to

illustrate knowledge and attitudes that are not expressed in words .

7.SPIRITUAL FUNCTION- Some art works express spiritual

beliefs ,customs, ceremonies and rituals about the meaning of destiny
of life .These artworks may have religious significance.
PHILOSOPHY OF ART
-Philosophy of art refers to the study of the
nature of arts ,its concept
interpretation ,representation ,expression and
forms. Philosophy of art is closely related to
aesthetics, which is the study of beauty and taste.
THERE AR FIVE(5) PHILOSOPHICAL
PERSPECTIVES OF ART. THESE ARE:
1. ART AS MIMESIS- The word mimesis is a Greek word which means
“imitation” or “copying”, although it may also mean representation. The
philosophers Plato and Aristotle spoke of mimesis as the representation of
nature. Plato believed that all artistic creation is mimesis.
It exists in the “ world of ideas ” and is created by God . the concrete
things that man created are just shadows created by mans mind ,all artists of
are imitators of nature. Aristotle speaks of tragedy as an “imitation of an
action” that of a man failing from a higher to a lower state. Thus, when an
artist skit fully select and present material ,that artist is purposely seeking to
imitate or copy the action of life.
 THERE AR FIVE(5) PHILOSOPHICAL PERSPECTIVES OF ART. THESE ARE

2. ART AS REPRESENTATION(ARISTOTLE)
- Art represent something ,when an artist use signs and
symbols to take the place of something else, he is using art as
representation of such as signs and symbols.it is through
representation that people organize the world and reality
through the act of naming is elements, signs and symbols are
arranged in order to form semantic constructions and
express relations with the other things.
 THERE AR FIVE(5) PHILOSOPHICAL PERSPECTIVES
OF ART. THESE ARE
3.ART FOR ART’S SAKE (KANT)- it was victor cousin ,a French philosopher who translated this slogan
which means “Tart pour I 'art” .artist associated with aestheticism believes that art needs no justification.
art does not serve political didactic or other hand .Immanuel Kant ’s main interest was not in art per se,
but in beauty in the sublime .
Kant being an enlightenment writer thought that beauty or sublimity were not really properties of
objects. Kant pointed out of that what he meant by beauty is not the form of a beautiful but about taste.
He claimed that judgement of taste are both subjective and universal. he said that aesthetic universals are
subjective because they are responses of pleasure and do not essentially involve any claim about the
properties of the object itself. On the other hand aesthetic judgement is universal because it is not merely
personal but also, it is disinterested .

‘
‘”””
 THERE AR FIVE(5) PHILOSOPHICAL PERSPECTIVES OF
ART. THESE ARE:

4.ART AS AN ESCAPE- according to Allen Weinstein mental escape ,we build up a

lot of anxiety within ourselves .artists have to get rid of this anxiety and pressure
because if we keep this worries and anxieties within our mind. They will come out
in the form of anger and even hatred. Unfortunately ,such anger and hatred are
often taken out in the wrong people.
According to seneres and others(2008),the artists works of art reveal the
emotional outburst that has been kept for many years in the mind .the only way
to take out such tensions is through painting , dancing, music , and other art
forms. They are a cathartic solutions to one’s anxiety and life's
difficulties ,likewise the awareness that these work of art are created among the
viewers may also lead to a positive or negative emotional reaction.
 THERE AR FIVE(5) PHILOSOPHICAL
PERSPECTIVES OF ART. THESE ARE
5.ART AS FUNCTIONAL – the artist intent in creating a functional piece
of art is to bring creativity, beauty and usefulness into peoples
everyday lives. Whether it is a curvy chair maid of cardboard ,a banca
made of paper .functional arts make us rethink and re-assess the way
we look at ordinary things ,sometimes by using unusual materials in
their construction.
THANKYOU