UNIT I

ASSUMPTIONS
AND NATURE OF ART
Prepared by:
Raemann Zaira M. Fernandez
Department of Languages and Literature
College of Arts and Scienes
Central Mindanao University
 COURSE LEARNING
OUTCOME:
At the end of the lessons, the learners are expected to:
1. Explain and evaluate different theories of the art
2. Characterize the assumptions of the arts
3. Distinguish between directly functional and indirectly
functional art.
4. Characterize sources and kinds of art
5. Classify artworks according to subject
6. Differentiate content from subject

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 LESSON 1

BASIC PHILOSOPHICAL
PERSPECTIVES OF ART

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 LESSON 1
BASIC PHILOSOPHICAL PERSPECTIVES
OF ART

WHAT IS ART?
The word “art” originates with the Latin ‘ars’,
which means “skill.”
This suggests that art refers to something done
“skillfully” or with competence (Fernandez, 2009).
Simply, it refers to any activity that requires skill
(Carroll, 1999).

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 LESSON 1
BASIC PHILOSOPHICAL PERSPECTIVES
OF ART

The Greek philosophers, Plato and his student,

Aristotle, proposed the earliest theories of art.

ART AS MIMESIS (PLATO)

The word “mimesis” is derived from the Ancient
Greek word meaning “imitation”
or“representation.”
With mimesis, artists portray and interpret the world
through imitation or mimicry of nature or reality.

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 LESSON 1
BASIC PHILOSOPHICAL PERSPECTIVES
OF ART

ART AS MIMESIS (PLATO)

Plato’s notion of art is quite derogatory.
He argued that artists do not reflect reality in their
works but only appearances, hence, deceptive
(Pietersen, 2006).

For Plato, the ‘idea’ is the ultimate

reality.
Hence, for Plato,
art is twice removed from reality.

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 LESSON 1
BASIC PHILOSOPHICAL PERSPECTIVES
OF ART

Leonardo da Vinci’s portrait, Mona Lisa, is a

realistic representation of the face of a woman
with enigmatic smile.
Readers can feel Manuel Arguilla’s love for nature
in his vivid description of the scenic beauty of
Katayaghan hills in La Union as the setting of his
classic “How My Brother Leon Brought Home a
Wife.”
Acting and dance are imitative of real actions, much
sculpture are pieces of wood or stone that look like
humans, and photography literally copies nature.

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 LESSON 1
BASIC PHILOSOPHICAL PERSPECTIVES
OF ART

ART AS REPRESENTATION (ARISTOTLE)

Aristotle stressed that imitation in art is not merely
copying or mimicking. Rather, it is more on “re-
presenting,” or “re-creating” reality or nature
(Maduka,n.d.).
To re-create here means to bring reality
into existence in a new form.

Representation means “something that is intended

to stand for something else without looking like it”
and “that is recognized by audiences as such”
(Carroll, 1999, p.25).
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 LESSON 1
BASIC PHILOSOPHICAL PERSPECTIVES
OF ART

ART AS REPRESENTATION (ARISTOTLE)

Artists capture only an aspect or a segment
of it (Muscato, 2018) depending on what they think
significantly important or appealing to the audience
or viewers.
For instance, they can narrow their
mental focus on some segment or even “a slice” of
life and make it representative of life itself.

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 LESSON 1
BASIC PHILOSOPHICAL PERSPECTIVES
OF ART

ART AS REPRESENTATION (ARISTOTLE)

In the paintings below by Baldwin and Monet,
although the color combination may not look
realistic, but the readers can easily identify the
subjects they represent: a horse and a garden.

Source: fineartamerica.com
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BASIC PHILOSOPHICAL PERSPECTIVES
OF ART

ALBERTO GIACOMETTI (SWISS VISUAL ARTIST)

Michaelangelo’s sculpture, David,

depicts idealized body proportions.
Luna’s painting, Spoliarium,
depicts fallen gladiators.

Reality then in art is not reality itself but ‘the reality’

purified of all irrelevant elements, a semblance-form
instead of the actual form (Bissell, 1974).

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 LESSON 1
BASIC PHILOSOPHICAL PERSPECTIVES
OF ART

Neo -representational theory

claims that art is anything that is about something
not all works of art can be a representation of
something
weaker version of representational theory
the theory identifies two components of art:
a subject and
a comment (or an observation) about it

“Anything that is a work of art necessarily possesses

the property of aboutness—it has semantic content;
it has a subject about which it expresses
something”(Carroll, 1999, p.27)

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BASIC PHILOSOPHICAL PERSPECTIVES
OF ART

ART FOR ART'S SAKE (KANT)

“Art for art’s sake” is the English equivalent of
the French slogan “l’art pour l’art” which
highlights the intrinsic value of art.
The German philosopher Immanuel Kant declared that
art is to be ‘purposeless.’
Rooted in romanticism, the philosophy views art as
“complete in itself” and must be judged by its
inner beauty instead of external purposes such as
moral or political commentary.

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BASIC PHILOSOPHICAL PERSPECTIVES
OF ART

ART FOR ART'S SAKE (KANT)

Kant’s theory has a direct influence on the 20th
century ‘formalism’ which value art’s inherent
elements.
Art is neither mimetic nor culturally
dependent, but it is created for unidentifiable
reasons. (Clive Bell)
Art is 'valuable in its own right.’
(Clement Greenberg)

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BASIC PHILOSOPHICAL PERSPECTIVES
OF ART

ART FOR ART'S SAKE (KANT)

In painting, Piet Mondrian’s Composition with Yellow, Blue
and Red is an example of a formalist art. While there is no
identifiable subject, it illustrates pure manipulation of form.
It is not the“what,” but it is the “how” that matters.

Similarly, Picasso’s Guernica though nonrepresentational,

captivates audiences due to its interesting juxtaposition
of figures. (Carroll, 1999).
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BASIC PHILOSOPHICAL PERSPECTIVES
OF ART

ART AS AN ESCAPE
Art provides a healthy distraction for
people to break free temporarily from
routine.
Art provides a healthy diversion from
pressing realities enabling people to
take a break and maintain a balanced
perspective of the real world.

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 LESSON 1
BASIC PHILOSOPHICAL PERSPECTIVES
OF ART

ART AS AN ESCAPE
Kate Chopin is among those artists who used art as a
form of escape. In most of her fiction, Chopin
introduces a female character who behaved in opposition
to what a woman in her time was supposed to behave.
In the same manner, Edgar Allan Poe’s horror fiction
can be an escape from haunting realities he experienced
and observed (Semtner, 2019).
Korean movies and dramas such as Wonderful
Nightmare, Go Back Couple, and W break barriers of
time.

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 LESSON 1
BASIC PHILOSOPHICAL PERSPECTIVES
OF ART

ART AS FUNCTIONAL
Functions of art can be non-motivated or
motivated.
Non-motivated purposes of art refer to innate,
unconscious artistic instincts while

Motivated functions refer to the conscious

intentions of the artist in art production
(Lumen Learning, 2017)

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 LESSON 1
BASIC PHILOSOPHICAL PERSPECTIVES
OF ART

Non-Motivated Functions

Appreciation for harmony, balance, rhythm

It is human nature to appreciate harmony, balance, and rhythm
and such instinct enables people to create art, an ability
animals do not have. Poetry, music, and the visual arts
are just among the means artists reflect their love for beauty.

The Philippine and Navajo textile designs depict such

appreciation for patterns.

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BASIC PHILOSOPHICAL PERSPECTIVES
OF ART

Non-Motivated Functions

Experience of the mysterious

Science fiction and spy shows are just among those artworks
that satisfy people’s thirst for something mysterious.
Even a painting, as what Edgar Degas stresses, “requires a
little mystery, some vagueness, some fantasy. When you
already make your meaning perfectly plain you end up boring
people.”
Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa is known
for its mystery.
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BASIC PHILOSOPHICAL PERSPECTIVES
OF ART

Non-Motivated Functions

Expression of the imagination

Artists give ‘tangible form to the unknown’portraying
something imaginary.

Artists give ‘tangible form to feelings and ideas’

(Getlein, 2009).

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BASIC PHILOSOPHICAL PERSPECTIVES
OF ART

Non-Motivated Functions

Ritualistic and symbolic functions

A lot of artistic efforts express religious beliefs and serve
ritual purposes (Tekin, 2016). Architecture, sculpture,
theatrical performance and dance are used in rituals and some
objects hold religious symbolisms for some.
Certain architectural forms for instance are associated with
some religious groups and serve ritual purposes.

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BASIC PHILOSOPHICAL PERSPECTIVES
OF ART

Motivated Functions

Art as expression and communication

“an artwork embodies the artist’s attitudes, feelings, emotions,
and/or point of view toward his subject” Caroll (1999)
Cameron’s Avatar depicts the effects of imperialism and
technology on indigenous cultures and nature.
Graphic arts such as cartoons, caricature, comic strips, scientific
illustrations, diagrams, maps, posters, billboards, web images,
animations and the like are intended
“to transmit something to an audience”
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BASIC PHILOSOPHICAL PERSPECTIVES
OF ART

Motivated Functions

Art as entertainment
Movies, video games, theater, television shows, humorous
memes, and live music intend to provide pleasure and delight,
a break from the tediousness of daily work.

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BASIC PHILOSOPHICAL PERSPECTIVES
OF ART

Motivated Functions

Art for political change and social inquiry

Art does not only delight, but as what Plato espoused, it must
bring social consciousness and moral transformation.
Rizal’s novels castigated the abusive administration
during his time and aroused Filipinos consciousness
about what was going on around them.
Political internet memes, while basically humorous,many are
meant to attack human frailties and social ills.

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BASIC PHILOSOPHICAL PERSPECTIVES
OF ART

Motivated Functions

Art as therapy
Art is a form of self-expression and a means to release pent-
up emotions, psychologists or psychotherapists use art to assess
psychological and emotional conditions of patients.
Art expressions are found to be linked to healing and
greater wellness.

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BASIC PHILOSOPHICAL PERSPECTIVES
OF ART

Motivated Functions

Art for persuasion

Art for propaganda and commercialism influence people’s
perception about a particular idea or object.
While art imitates reality, propaganda art constructs reality
itself.
Merriam-Webster defined propaganda as “ideas or statements
that are often false or exaggerated and that are spread
in order to help a cause, a political leader,
a government, etc.”
It seeks to influence popular
conceptions or mood.
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 LESSON 1
BASIC PHILOSOPHICAL PERSPECTIVES
OF ART

Motivated Functions

Art for persuasion

Commercial advertisements seek to influence consumer’s
perception of a product.
However, the images below illustrate how ‘reality’ in food
advertisements differ from the actual (real) products and how
anti-aging commercials make aged women think that they must
look young to be attractive (Tehseem & Kalsoom, 2015).

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 LESSON 1
BASIC PHILOSOPHICAL PERSPECTIVES
OF ART

It is common that art functions overlap.

A painting for delight may also serve propaganda
purposes.
A movie or a meme for entertainment may also serve
as a social commentary.
In the same way, music for entertainment may also
serve as an escape or a therapy.

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 LESSON 1
BASIC PHILOSOPHICAL PERSPECTIVES
OF ART

Summary of Lesson 1
1. Basic Philosophical Perspectives of Art:
· Art as mimesis (Plato)
· Art as representation (Aristotle)
· Art for art’s sake (Kant)
· Art as an escape
· Art as functional
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 LESSON 1
BASIC PHILOSOPHICAL PERSPECTIVES
OF ART

Summary of Lesson 1
Art as functional
Non-motivated functions
1.Appreciation for harmony, balance, rhythm
2.Experience of the mysterious
3.Expression of the imagination
4.Ritualistic and symbolic functions

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 LESSON 1
BASIC PHILOSOPHICAL PERSPECTIVES
OF ART

Summary of Lesson 1
Art as functional
Motivated functions
1.Art as entertainment
2.Art for political change and social inquiry
3.Art as therapy
4.Art for persuasion

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 LESSON 1
BASIC PHILOSOPHICAL PERSPECTIVES
OF ART

The end of UNIT 1: Lesson 1

Prepared by:
Raemann Zaira M. Fernandez
Department of Languages and Literature
College of Arts and Scienes
Central Mindanao University

prepared by rzmf