Lesson 2: Basic Assumptions, Functions, Philosophies and Nature of Art

Lesson Objectives:
At the end of this discussion, the students are expected to:

• Distinguish directly functional and indirectly functional art,

• Explain and discuss the basic philosophical perspectives on the art,
• Realize the function of some art forms in daily life, and;
• Apply concepts and theories on beauty and aesthetics in real life
scenarios.

Discussion:
Basic Assumptions of Art
• Art is universal
Timeless, spanning generations and continents through and through.
Misconception: Artistic made long time ago. Age is not a factor in
determining art. “Art is not good because it is old, but old because it is
beautiful.” (Dudley, et al. 1960) Works of Rizal and Francisco Balagtas Not
read because they are old but they are beautifully written. Arts regardless
of origin, time, and place are liked and enjoyed by people continuously.

• Art is not nature

Man’s expression of his reception of nature Man’s way of interpreting
nature. Art is made by man, whereas nature is a given around us. Art, not
directed by representation of reality, is a perception of reality. Five blind
men touching an elephant Art has its reason why the artist made it. What is
it that he wants to show?

• Art involves experience.

It does not full detail but just an experience. “Actual doing of
something.” Radio DJ, Choreographer, Painter, Sculptor “All art depends
on experience, and if one is to know art, he must know it not as fact or
information but as experience.” Unlike fields of knowledge that involve
data, art is known by experiencing. 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.
Nature of Art

1. Art is not nature; art is made by man- It is man’s interpretation of objects

perceived by him as art has been created by all people at all times.
2. Arts greatest achievement is that it creates a permanent impression of the
passing scene, unlike a fresh flower which will not stay fresh - somehow it
withers but the freshness of the flower as captured in a simple painting will
always stay fresh. Therefore, art never grows old as recorded by the artists
vision. The main purpose of art is to entertain the audience in many
techniques like using colors or lines and making you really ponder over
what you see
3. Art imitates life and one can tell the values, traditions, feelings and dreams
as well as aspirations of the artist which are clearly manifested in his own
use of colors, lines, forms and symbols. The artists own style and
approaches give a chance to preserve life with the use of particular
media.

Functions of Art
Arts functions can be classified into:

1. Motivated (Functional) The purpose of art which are motivated refer to

intentional, conscious actions on the part of the artists or creator.

2. Non-motivated (Non-functional) Are those which are integral to being

human, transcend the individual, or do not fulfill a specific external purpose. -
Is something which humans must do by their very nature and is therefore
beyond utility.

3.Personal Function Arts are vehicles for the artists’ expression of their feelings
and ideas. The arts also serve as means of expression for us. The personal
functions of art are varied and highly subjective. Functions depends on the
artist who created the art. An artist may create an art out of self- expression,
entertainment, or therapeutic purpose.

4.Social Functions One cannot conceive of a society without art, for art is
closely related to every aspect of social life. Art may convey message of
protest, contestation, or whatever message the artist intends his work to carry.
Political art is a very common example of an art with a social function. Art can
also depict social conditions such as photography (pictures of poverty).
Performance art like plays or satires can also rouse emotions and rally people
toward a particular end. Art perform a social function when:

1. Influences Social Behavior It seeks or tends to influence the collective

behavior of a people. (Guernica by Pablo Picasso)

2. Display and Celebration It is created to be seen or used primarily in

public situation.
5.Physical Functions Tools and containers are objects which function to make
our lives physically comfortable. Functional works of art may be classified as
either tools or containers. The physical functions of art can be found in artworks
that are crafted in order to serve some physical purpose
6. Other functions

The therapeutic value of music cannot be ignored. Works of art make us aware
of other ways of thinking, feeling, and imagining that have never occurred to
us before. Music was principally used for dance and religion. The ancient world
saw music as an instrument to facilitate worship and invocation to gods. Music
was essential for synchronicity of dancers. Music guarantees that warriors were
simultaneous. Today, music has expanded its functions and coverage. There
is a lot of music that has no connection to dance or religion. Example:
Serenade – People compose hymns to express feelings and emotions. Music is
also used as accompaniment to stage plays and motion pictures

One function of sculpture and painting is the commemoration of important

personages in society. The statues of national heroes that grace our parks and
plazas are commemorative works as are the commissioned paintings of
leaders or rulers. Often they serve to record important historical events, or
reveal the ideals of heroism and leadership that the community would want
the young to emulate.

Architecture may be the most prominent functional art. Unlike other forms of
art, buildings take so much time to erect and destroy. One cannot dismiss
taking into consideration the function of a building before construction. The
design of the building is determined primarily by its operational function. What
is the building for? Who are going to use it? How many are they? The design
that a building takes is also adapted to the climate of the region. The architect
must take the physical, psychological, and spiritual needs of the family into
account when he designs a house.
Philosophical Perspectives on Art
ART AS AN IMITATION

In Plato’s The Republic, 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. 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. 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 was deeply
suspicious of arts and artists for two reasons:
 1. They appeal to the emotion rather to the rational faculty of men
2. They imitate rather than lead one to reality

Poetry rouses emotions and feelings and thus, clouds rationality of

people. 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.
Art then is 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 than can
only be attained through reason.

ART AS A REPRESENTATION

Aristotle, agreed with Plato that art is a form of imitation. However,

Aristotle considered art as an aid to philosophy in revealing the truth. The
kind of imitation that art does is not antithetical to the reaching of
fundamental truths in the world. Unlike Plato who thought that art is an
imitation of another imitation, Aristotle conceived of art as representing
possible versions of reality. For Aristotle, all kinds of art do not aim to
represent reality as it is, it endeavors to provide a version of what might
be or the myriad possibilities of reality. In Aristotelian worldview, art serves
two particular purposes: Art allows for the experience of pleasure
(horrible experience can be made an object of humor), Art also has an
ability to be instructive and teach its audience things about life
(cognitive)

ART AS A DISINTERESTED JUDGMENT

Immanuel Kant, in his Critique of Judgment, considered the judgment of

beauty, the cornerstone of art, as something that can be universal
despite its subjectivity. Kant recognized that judgment of beauty is
subjective. However, even subjective judgments are based on some
universal criterion for the said judgment. 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 ARE THESE TWO STATEMENTS DIFFERENT?

1. “I like this painting.”
2. “This painting is beautiful.”
o The first is clearly a judgment of taste (subjective), while the
second is an aesthetic judgment (objective). Making an aesthetic
judgment requires us to be disinterested. In other words, we should
try to go beyond our individual tastes and preferences so that we
can appreciate art from a universal standpoint.
ART AS A COMMUNICATION OF EMOTION

• According to Leo Tolstoy, art plays a huge role in communication to its

audience’s emotions that the artist previously experienced.
• In the same that language communicates information to other people,
art communicates emotions.
• 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.