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Unit 3- Philosophical Perspectives in Art
"The idea is not to live forever, but to create something that will."
- Andy Warhol
Learning Outcomes
At the end of this unit, you will be able to:
Articulate your own philosophy towards art with respect to your realities, experiences, and
rights as a human.
Pretest
I. Direction/s: Write the letter of the correct answer on the space provided for you.
1. Mimesis is a Greek word which means
a. imitation b. copy c. replica
2. He believed that art must communicate to its audience the emotions and sentiments
that the artist experienced.
a. Plato b. Aristotle c. Leo Tolstoy
3. Judgment of taste must be both subjective and universal.
a. Imitation b. Representation d. Disinterested Judgment
4. The philosopher who stated number 4
a. Leo Tolstoy b. Immanuel Kant c. Aristotle
5. The message of a painting done by a Chinese artist resonates well with the people
living in Kenya.
a. Art is universal b. Art is cultural c. Art is nature
II. Direction/s: Identify what is asked. Write on the space provided before each number.
6. One key feature of artworks in the classical period
7. It is the responsibility of the artist to make his audience believe and feel the emotions
he evoked through painting.
8. The Ideal form is only found in the World of Forms
9. A poet/writer does not plainly imitates what had happened but also portrays what is
about to happen or will most probably happen.
10. We say it is beautiful regardless of who made it and what it was made of.
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Content
Every human activity has a foundation or framework which support to explain and put
order of what seems to be immensely mysterious. Art is no exception.
Philosophical Perspectives in Art
The following philosophies are some of the most influential foundations of art in
most parts of the world since antiquity until today.
Art is an Imitation by Plato
For Plato, art imitates nature which imitates the Ideal Form hence, the phrase “a
copy of a copy of a Form”. For instance, a painting of a tree is only an imitation of a tree
visibly standing in front of a garden but this same tree is also just an imitation of the perfect
tree found in the World of Forms where according to Plato everything is rational and
unchanging unlike the physical world. That is why he believed that art is dangerous
because it is deceitful, however, also powerful as it stirs up human emotions. Since
imitation works closely on achieving what is “perfect” and “ideal”, artists are very critical
with proportions. Most of the artworks in the Renaissance period showcased this attribute.
Leonardo Da Vinci Sandro Botticelli
Mona Lisa, 1503 Primavera or “Allegory of Spring”, late 1470s or early 1480s
Oil on poplar panel Tempera on wood
77 cm × 53 cm 315 x 205 cm
Art is a Representation by Aristotle
Like his teacher, Aristotle also followed Plato’s philosophy on art as imitation (in
Greek, ‘mimesis’) but added some modifications. He believed that art is good and that
imitation is inherent in humans. Knowledge is gained through imitation and with this
cognitive ability one can take pleasure in the beauty of art. He deeply stressed his
philosophy in his book Poetics where he claimed that a poet/writer does not plainly imitates
what had happened but also portrays what is about to happen or will most probably
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happen. This means that human activity, emotion, and experience trancend through time
and space making them universal.
Lea Salonga as Kim Ang Huling El Bimbo The Musical,
Miss Saigon, 1989 2019
Art is Disinterested Judgment by Kant
Immanuel Kant’s view mostly dwells on Beauty or the Sublime. He argued that
aesthetic judgment or judgment of taste must be both subjective and universal. As such,
one must not judge a work of art only by desire, thus disinterested. In other words, we do
not say it is beautiful because we found it pleasurable rather we say it is beautiful
regardless of who made it and what it was made of therefore, it is pleasurable. In this way,
the artwork seem purposive even without purpose.
Jackson Pollock Henry Moore
Stenographic Figure, 1942 Oval with Points, 1968
Oil on linen Bronze
101.6 x 142.2 cm 16.4 x 13.9 x 9.4 cm
Art is Communication by Tolstoy
For Tolstoy, art is made with the purpose to communicate. It is the artist’s
responsibility to make the audience feel the experience, the emotion, and the thought that
he or she has encountered through his or her art. This way, the artist, the art, and the
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audience create a meaningful bond together. For him, art is good only when it does not
undermine other people’s work for the sake of one’s art.
Kevin Lee Nick Ut
The Invisibility of Poverty, Vietnam War, Napalm Attack,
Performance Art June 8, 1972
Photograph
In the very first activity, you were asked to define or describe art in your own
words. This time, the activity found in page 15 will require you to provide your own
philosophy in art.
May your philosophy be your guiding principle to see humanity in every
person through art even when you are already practicing your respective fields of
expertise.
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Learning Activities
Activity 6: Your philosophy on art
Direction/s: Articulate your own philosophy in art with respect to your realities, experiences, and
rights as a human. State your philosophy in one statement only.
Rubric for Personal Philosophy in Art
Needs
Excellent Good Fair
Indicators Improvement
5 4 3
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Philosophy
Philosophy is merely copies
Philosophy is Philosophy is
Originality almost entirely the works of
highly original fairly original and
and original and is other thinkers
and is given very is given some
Profoundess given serious and is given
serious thought. serious thought
thought. minimal to no
serious thought.
Words used are
Words used are Words used are Words used are
oftentimes
Clarity of very clear, direct, clear, direct, and fairly clear, direct,
unclear, indirect,
Thought and easy to easy to and easy to
and difficult to
understand. understand. understand.
understand.
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Assessment
Congratulations!
You have completed the learning activities in Unit 3. This time, you are required to be more
reflective and critical as you do the assessment below. If you have noticed, this question was
asked in Unit 2. It is expected that your answer will resonate well with your philosophy stated in
the earlier activity.
Activitiy 7: Reflective-Persuasive Commentary
Direction/s: Open your Fb account and proceed to our Art Appreciation Group. Find the Units Tab,
and then click it. Then, write your answer under the post Can art be used as a tool to inflict
harm and prejudice against people? in the comment section in not less than 100 words. Click
Done if you have placed your answer already. Be guided by the rubric below.
Rubric for a Reflective-Argumentative Commentary
Needs
Excellent Good Fair
Indicators Improvement
5 4 3
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Reason/s are Reason/s are
Reason/s are
very clear, valid, somewhat clear,
clear, valid, and
and sound all valid, and sound Commentary
sound supported
supported with supported with revolves entirely
with some factual
Reasoning factual minimal factual around first hand
information aside
information aside information aside or secondhand
from first hand or
from first hand or from first hand or experiences.
secondhand
secondhand secondhand
experiences. experiences. experiences.
Words used are
Words used are Words used are Words used are
oftentimes
Clarity of very clear, direct, clear, direct, and fairly clear, direct,
unclear, indirect,
Thought and easy to easy to and easy to
and difficult to
understand. understand. understand.
understand.
No relevant
Very relevant Some relevant A few relevant
Sources sources are
sources are cited. sources are cited sources are cited
cited.
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Kindly spare a word or two.
How did you find this unit? Please leave a comment or suggestion to help improve this unit.
Your words do matter.
Thank you!
