Chapter 1Meaning and Importance of Art and Art History

Introduction

Art is a highly diverse range of human activities engaged in creating visual, auditory, orperformed
artifacts— artworks—that express the author’s imaginative or technical skill, and areintended to be
appreciated for their beauty or emotional power.The oldest documented forms of art are visual arts,
which include images or objects in fields like painting, sculpture, printmaking,photography, and other
visual media. Architecture is often included as one of the visual arts;however, like the decorative arts, it
involves the creation of objects where the practical considerations of use are essential, in a way that
they usually are not in another visual art, like a painting.
Art may be characterized in terms of mimesis (its representation of reality),expression,communication
of emotion, or other qualities. Though the definition of what constitutes art is disputed and has changed
over time, general descriptions center on the idea of imaginative or technical skill stemming from
human agency and creation. When it comes to visually identifying a work of art, there is no single set of
values or aesthetic traits. A Baroque painting will not necessarily share much with a contemporary
performance piece, but they are both considered art.

LESSON PROPER
General Overview Of Humanities

The Study of Humanities

◦ The term “humanities originated from Renaissance Latin expression studia humanitatis or study of
humanitas which refers to “culture, refinement, education”.

◦ During the Renaissance period of the early 15th century, the studia humanitatis became a secular
study in the universities at the time.
◦ The humanities course primarily consisted of grammar, rhetoric, poetry, history, and moral philosophy,
Latin and Greek classics.
◦ The study of humanities today include literature, language, philosophy, geography, history, religion,
music and art. These subjects use methods that are primarily critical, speculative, and historical in
elements.
◦ Humanities are academic disciplines that deal on the various aspects of society and the noble man.
Thus, humanities make man more humane, cultured, dignified, and refined human being. In short,
humanities bring out the best and worthiness of man as a person.

Meaning and Importance of Art

◦ Art is a subject under humanities (there is no one universal definition of art since art is subjective). It is
subjective in the sense that people differ in their perception of an object or thing.
◦ Etymologically, art is from an Italian word “artis” defined as human creative skill. Art includes its
application, craftsmanship, skill, inventiveness, mastery of form, and association of the use of forms and
ideas and the utilization of materials and techniques.From Aryan civilization, “ar” means to join or put
together; from Latin word “ars” implying ability or skill; and from the Greek words “artizien” which
implies to prepare and “arkiskien” denotes to put together.
◦ Some people may consider an object as something beautiful and meaningful while others may consider
it as ugly or meaningless. In other words, different authors and writers define art in various ways as they
perceive it.

◦ Moreover, the meaning of art has changed throughout history due to multicultural settings. Thus,
every time a new movement in art emerged, the meaning of what is art, or what is acceptable as art, is
being challenged.

Some Definitions of Art

• Art is a product of man’s need to express himself-F. Zulueta

• Art concerned itself with the communication of certain ideas and feelings and by means of form and
film -C. Sanchez

• Art is that which brings life in harmony with the world.-Plato

• Art is an attitude of spirit, a state of mind-one which demands for its own satisfaction and fulfilling, a
shaping matter to new and more signification forms-John Dewey
• Art is not what you see but you make others see- Geogia O’Keeffe
• Art is a life that helps us to realize the truth-Pablo Picasso
• Art is desire of a man to express himself, to record the action of his personality in the world he lives
in.-Amy Lowell
• Art is never finished, only abandoned- Leonardo da Vinci
• Art is the conscious creation of something beautiful or meaningful using skill and imagination.- Lisa
Morder

• Art is the skillful arrangement or composition of some common but significant qualities of nature such
us colors, sounds, lines, movements, words, stones, wood, etc., to express human feelings, emotions, or
thoughts in a perfect, meaningful, and enjoyable way. - Panizo and Rustia

Four (4) Common Essentials of Art

1. Art is man-made, not God-made
2. Art is creative, not imitative
3. Art benefits and satisfies man-when he uses art in practical life through artistic principles, taste, and
skills.
4. Art is expressed through a certain medium or material by which the artist communicates himself to
his fellows.
Why is Art important?
• Art improves your creativity skills.
• Art gives you joy satisfaction.
• Art relieves stress.
• Art gives you the opportunity to showcase your talent.
• Art gives confidence in our performance.
• Art helps you do well academically.
• Art helps you to express your emotions.
• Art is a different language because it can express things without words.

Importance of Art to Students

Art plays a valuable role to students;

1. Through participation in arts-music, dance, drama, media arts, and the visual arts,
a) Students can develop their creativity.
b) Students learn about their identity.
c) Students develop self-awareness
d) Students develop sense of well-being
e) Students develop self-confidence.

2. Through intense involvement in artistic activities,

a) Students experience a sense of wonder and joy when learning through the arts.
b) Students can be motivated to participate more fully in cultural life.
c) Students are able to gain educational opportunities, which they can use later in their career life.

Art Appreciation
Art appreciation can be defined as follows:
• Art appreciation is the ability to interpret and understand man-made arts and enjoy them through
actual work experience with art tools and materials.

• Art appreciation is the possession of the works of art for one’s admiration and satisfaction.

• Art appreciation refers to the knowledge and understanding of the general and everlasting qualities
that classify all great arts.
• Art appreciation is the introduction and exploration of visual and performing art forms.
• Art appreciation is the analysis of the form of an artwork to general audience to enhance their
enjoyment and satisfaction of the works of art.
Importance of Art Appreciation
• Art Appreciation helpsthe person make sense of his world by broadening his experience and
understanding of the things around him.

• It can help the person imagine even the unimaginable.

• It is able to connect a person’s life and experience the past, the present, and the future or sometimes
simultaneously.
• It can help transport the individual to different places and culture through literature, films, visual arts,
and other forms of art.

• It allows the individual to see himself, his family dynamics as well as his community through different
lens of great art.
• It enables the individual to better empathize with those who suffered and endured for their lives
through great art forms.
❖ ART HISTORY
Art history is the study of objects of art considered within their time or period. Art historian

analyze visual arts’ meaning (painting, sculpture, architecture) at the time they were created.
Art Historians develop ways to translate from the visual to the verbal, through analysis and
interpretation, using a number of different approaches and methodologies.
Art Historians develop a special sensitivity and understanding of the way visual, material, and – in
contemporary art sometimes immaterial – expression makes meaning in the world, and how those
meanings contribute to our social, political, and spiritual life.
Importance of studying Art History
▪ In understanding culturesVisual art recounts stories of our past; it gives an account of past events. Art
history allows us to look back and understand how our civilization evolved over the centuries. It is a way
to know ourselves better. Why do we have certain values?
What shaped the way we think and our vision of the world?
▪ In develop critical thinking

Studying art history is not about memorizing dates, artists’ names, art movements, etc. Instead, it drives
you to analyze paintings, photographs, sculptures, etc. To support your analysis, you must build rational
and convincing arguments, hence developing your critical thinking.

Chapter 2 ASSUMPTIONS OF ART

Introduction

The essential nature of art is meant to portray the daily lives of the people in that culture. It shows what
the people think is important, beautiful, and valid. It expresses the emotions that the artists feel, and it
provides decoration through his medium. The essential nature of Art is that it is a largely non-symbolic
form of communication and a primary counterpoint to language. While almost any language requires
considerable education in the manner in which information is encoded into the symbols it uses, art is
communicative with very little prior indoctrination.

LESSON PROPER
Art is a reflection of people and their social context. It also unifies differences and brings awareness.
Countries around the world create cultural exchange programs through art to develop mutual
understanding between different cultures, countries, and people. Separation in art is equal to separation
in society.
❖ ASSUMPTIONS OF ART
1)Art is Universal. Art exists because it is important to people’s lives. It is the oldest and most important
means of expression developed by man in any culture. Art immortalizes man and marvelous
achievements. Literature and history provide us with all evidences about the timelessness and universal
value of art and its unique contribution to mankind.
2)Art is not Nature. In understanding this assumption, we should first see the meaning of the two
terminologies. Art is made by man using his skills, craftsmanship, creativity and imagination. It is far
different from nature. Man may consider nature as an inspiration to create an artwork.
Nature- Divine model, work of God, or God made. We are often caught in a dilemma or situation
wherein we get confused if we can consider nature as art. Art and nature are two different things, art is
not nature and nature is not art. Art is man-made and nature is God-made.
3)Art involves Experience. All art requires experience. Experience is the actual doing of something. One
can never experience art just by hearsay alone. One cannot judge a song or painting not unless he heard
or saw it in an actual sense. No one can speak of pains and hurt from a failed relationship, the
heightened emotions of falling in love not unless he experienced it for himself. The first and last demand
of art is experience.

Two Characteristics of Experience:

1.Experience of art is subjective. Our judgement of art is highly personal and individual. Any claims that
his/her experience with art is better than others proves to be impossible. Not everybody will agree with
our own experience with art.
2.Art experience is accompanied by emotional response. Initial reaction in such experience of art is
inevitable. We may either like or dislike it. We can say that it’s beautiful or it’s not good at all. Others
will say it’s frustrating, and some will say it’s great. For this reason, our reaction to arts differ from one
another.
4)Art is cultural. Art contributes to the understanding of past and present cultures. Through art, people
learn about their culture’s values and strengthen their culture’s identity. Through art, the people feel
proud of their customs, traditions, and beliefs because they give sense of belonging.
5)Art as Expression. Art is an expression of an individual, making known his thoughts or feelings. It
means that the work of art reflects the artist’s personality, background or even personal circumstances.
Expression is an avenue for the artist to explore more about his emotion and creating something
beautiful out of them.
❖ NATURE OF ARTS: CREATIVITY AND IMAGINATION
▪ The role of creativity in art making Creativity- requires thinking outside the box. It is often used to solve
problems that have never occurred before, conflate function and style, and simply make life a more
unique and enjoyable experience. In art, creativity is what sets apart one artwork from another

.▪ Art as a production of imagination

Imagination- “is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited to all we now know and
understand, while imagination embrace the entire world, and all there ever will be know and
understand.” - Albert Einstein
Chapter 3 SUBJECT, FORM, AND CONTENT
Works of art have subject, form and content. We often identify a work by its subject: a landscape
painting, a sculpture of a young woman, a lithograph of a cat.In art, the definition of the subject is
referring to the main character, object, or anything else that is presented as the main focus in the work
of art. To a majority of people, the appeal of most works of art lies in the representation of familiar
objects. Their enjoyment of painting, sculpture and literature comes not from their perception of the
meaning but from the satisfaction they get out of recognizing the subject or understanding the narrative
content. The subject of art refers to any person, object scene or event described and represented in a
work of art.
-Representational or objective
• arts that have a subject (e.g painting, sculpture, graphic arts, literature and theatre arts)
-Non-representational or Non-Objective

• Arts that do not have subject.• Music, Architecture and many of the Functional Arts
– Program Music – musical compositions which have subject

• They do not present descriptions, stories, or references to identifiable objects or symbols. Rather they,
appeal directly to the senses primarily because of thesatisfying organization of their sensuous and
expressive elements.Many contemporary painters have turned away from representational to
nonobjectivepainting. They have shifted their attention to the work of art as an object in itself,
anexciting combination of shapes and colors that fulfills an aesthetic need without having torepresent
images or tell a story. Many modern paintings are like this making them more difficult to comprehend

Ways of Representing Subject.

The manner of representing subject varies according to the intent and inventiveness of each artist.

– Realism – when things are depicted in the way they would normally appear.
– Abstraction – it is the process of simplifying and/or reorganizing objects and elements according to the
demands of the artistic expression.
– Distortion – is when the figures have been so arranged that proportions diffe

noticeably from natural measurements.

– Surrealism – it is realism plus distortion.

The Artist and His Choice of Subject

• Practically everything under the sun is raw material for the artist to draw his subjects from.
• Most, if not all, of the visual arts are representations of what the artist thoughtand felt about the
world they lived in. Or they are representations of things the artistsimagined or dream about.
• Whatever subject an artist chooses, his choice involves some personal statement.

• Things that affect an artist’s choice of subject

– Medium
– Time in which he lives and or the patronage he gets
– Developments in Science and Technology

• The value of a work of art does not depend on the artist’s choice of subject. It does not mean that the
more profound the subject, the greater the work ofart. Rather, the worth of any representational work
of art depends upon the way the subject has been presented.
• How a work of art is to be appreciated and assessed, it has been agreed has more to do with the way
in which its subject or theme is presented than with what is presented.
Form (or design), is the visual organization of the art work -how the artist has used line, shape, value,
color, etc.The term form can mean several different things in art. Form is one of the seven elements of
art and connotes a three-dimensional object in space. A format analysis of a work of art describes how
the elements and principles of artwork together independent of their meaning and the feelings or
thoughts they may evoke in the viewer. Finally, form is also used to describe the physical nature of the
artwork, as in metal sculpture, an oil painting, etc.When used in tandem with the word art as in art
form, it can also mean a medium of artistic expression recognized as fine art or an unconventional
medium done so well, adroitly, or creatively as to elevate it to the level of fine art.
An Element of Art
Form is one of the seven elements of art which are the visual tools that an artist uses to compose a work
of art. In addition, to form, they include line, shape, value,color, texture, and space. As an Element of
Art, form connotes something that is three-dimensional and encloses volume, having length, width, and
height, versus shape, which is two-dimensional, or flat. A form is a shape in three dimensions, and, like
shapes, can be geometric or organic.

Geometric forms are forms that are mathematical, precise, and can be named, as in the basic geometric
forms: sphere, cube, pyramid, cone, and cylinder. A circle becomes a sphere in three dimensions, a
square becomes a cube, a triangle becomes a pyramid or cone.Geometric forms are most often found in
architecture and the built environment, although you can also find them in the spheres of planets and
bubbles, and in the crystalline pattern of snowflakes, for example.Organic forms are those that are free-
flowing, curvy, sinewy, and are not symmetrical or easily measurable or named. They most often occur
in nature, as in the shapes of flowers, branches, leaves, puddles, clouds, animals, the human figure, etc.,
but can also be found in the bold and fanciful buildings of the Spanish architect Antoni Gaudi (1852 to
1926) as well as in many sculptures.
Form in Sculpture
Form is most closely tied to sculpture, since it is a three-dimensional art and has traditionally consisted
almost primarily of form, with color and texture being subordinate. Three-dimensional forms can be
seen from more than one side. Traditionally forms could be viewed from all sides, called sculpture in-
the-round, or in relief, those in which the sculpted elements remain attached to a solid background,
including bas-relief, haut-relief, and sunken-relief.

Historically sculptures were made in the likeness of someone, to honor a hero or god.The twentieth
century broadened the meaning of sculpture, though, heralding the concept of open and closed forms,
and the meaning continues to expand today. Sculptures are no longer only representational, static,
stationery, forms with a solid opaque mass that has been carved out of stone or modeled out of bronze.
Sculpturetoday may be abstract, assembled from different objects, kinetic, change with time, or made
out of unconventional materials like light or holograms, as in the work of renowned artist James Turrell.
Sculptures may be characterized in relative terms as closed or open forms. A closedform has a similar
feeling to the traditional form of a solid opaque mass. Even if spaces exist within the form, they are
contained and confined. A closed-form has an inward-directed focus on the form, itself, isolated from
ambient space. An openform is transparent, revealing its structure, and therefore has a more fluid and
dynamic relationship with the ambient space. Negative space is a major component and activating force
of an open form sculpture. Pablo Picasso (1881 to 1973), Alexander Calder (1898 to 1976), and Julio
Gonzalez (1876 to 1942) are some artists who created open form sculptures, made from wire and other
materials.Henry Moore (1898 to 1986), the great English artist who, along with his contemporary,
Barbara Hepworth (1903 to 1975), were the two most important British sculptors in modern art, both
revolutionized sculpture by being the first to pierce the form of their biomorphic (bio=life,
morphic=form) sculptures. She did so in 1931, and he did in 1932, noting that “even space can have
form” and that “a hole can have as much shape meaning as a solid mass.”

Form in Drawing and Painting

In drawing and painting, the illusion of three-dimensional form is conveyed through the use of lighting
and shadows, and the rendering of value and tone. Shape is defined by the outer contour of an object,
which is how we first perceive it and begin to make sense of it, but light, value, and shadow help to give
an object form and context in space so that we can fully identify it.For example, assuming a single light
source on a sphere, the highlight is where the light source hits directly; the mid-tone is the middle value
on the sphere where the light does not hit directly; the core shadow is the area on the sphere that the
light does not hit at all and is the darkest part of the sphere; the cast shadow is the area on surrounding
surfaces that is blocked from the light by the object; reflected highlight is light that is reflected back up
onto the object from the surrounding objects and surfaces. With these guidelines as to light and shading
in mind, any simple shape can be drawn or painted to create the illusion of a three-dimensional form.
The greater the contrast in value, the more pronounced the three-dimensional form becomes. Forms
that are rendered with little variation in value appear flatter than those that are rendered with greater
variation and contrast.
Historically, painting has progressed from a flat representation of form and space to a three-dimensional
representation of form and space, to abstraction. Egyptian painting was flat, with the human form
presented frontally but with the head and feet in profile. The realistic illusion of form did not occur until
the Renaissance along with the discovery of perspective. Baroque artists such as Caravaggio (1571 to
1610), explored the nature of space, light, and the three-dimensional experience of space further
through the use of chiaroscuro, the strong contrast between light and dark. The portrayal of the human
form became much more dynamic, with chiaroscuro and foreshortening giving the forms a sense of
solidity and weight and creating a powerful sense of drama. Modernism freed artists to play with the
form more abstractly. Artists such as Picasso, with the invention of Cubism, broke up the form to imply
movement through space and time.
Analyzing an Artwork
When analyzing a work of art, a formal analysis is separate from that of its content or context. A formal
analysis means applying the elements and principles of art to analyze the work visually. The formal
analysis can reveal compositional decisions that help to reinforce content, the work’s essence, meaning,
and the artist’s intent, as well as give clues as to historical context.For example, the feelings of mystery,
awe, and transcendence that are evoked from some of the most enduring Renaissance masterpieces,
such as the MonaLisa (Leonardo da Vinci, 1517), The Creation of Adam (Michelangelo, 1512), the Last
Supper (Leonardo da Vinci, 1498) are distinct from the formal compositional elements and principles
such as line, color, space, shape, contrast, emphasis, etc., the artist used to create the painting and that
contribute to its meaning, effect, and timeless quality.
Content is the impact or meaning of this work.
Subject and Content

• Subject refers to the objects depicted by the artist

• Content refers to what the artist expresses or communicates on the whole of his work
• Content is the meaning

• In literature it is the theme

• Content reveals the artists’ attitude towards his subject
Definition of Subject
In art, the definition of the subject is referring to the main character, object, or anything else that is
presented as the main focus in the work of art.

The subject can appear in the center of the piece, or in any other part of it, but it is always the most
recognizable thing in the entire work of art, regardless of its size.This center of attention will be
recognized whether it is a commonly known thing, or because it can be seen in context alongside the
rest of the work of art. For example, in a photograph of a dog running on the beach, the dog would be
the subject, because it iis the most recognizable component in the picture In conclusion, the subject is
the most recognizable part of the work of art.
Definition of Content
In the world of art, the definition of content is referred to as the general meaning or intention of the
piece. It is the way to manifest the message that the artist wants to say with his work.
Content is the message given by the piece of art. It involves the subject, the techniques used to make
the piece, the colors used, and anything that was used by the artist to make a statement and give a
message.So, in the same example mentioned before (a photograph of a dog running on the beach), the
content could be the dog’s hair moving in the air, its tongue coming out, the white sand, a warm light
from the sun, etc.. It allows to give the message that the dog feels free and happy running
outside.Content is the overall meaning or message of the work of art.

Conclusion of the Main Difference Between Subject vs Content

Pieces of art are at least composed of 3 parts: subject, form, and content, and normally it is easy to
confuse the subject and the content. But now you know that they are 2 different things.
The content involves all the parts of a work of art, and this includes the subject, making it a part of the
content. This means that the content can be seen as a macro element on the piece, whereas the subject
can be seen as a microelement on the artwork.
Subject Matter’s Different Levels of Meaning
1. Factual Meaning- the literal statement or the narrative content inthe work which can be directly
apprehended because the objectspresented are easily recognized

2. Conventional Meaningrefers to thespecial meaning that a certain object orcolor has a particular
culture or group ofpeople.
Examples: Flag- symbol of a nation, crossfor Christianity, crescent moon - Islam
3. Subjective Meaning- any personal meaning consciously or unconsciouslyconveyed by the artist using a
private symbolism which stems from his ownassociation of certain objects, actions or colors with past
experiences.

Chapter 4 FUNCTIONS OF ART

FUNCTIONAL AND NON-FUNCTIONAL ARTS

Introduction
The definition of art remains controversial and multifarious, but the diverse functions of art get better
once you allow your conscience to absorb and understand diverse perspectives that art offers.The
purposes, motivations, intentions, and inspirations behind the art are endless.Being one of the most
creative ways of expressing human experience, we have used art as a means of telling stories. May it be
the story of a single person, of a community, or of a nation, art has in many ways contributed to the
beautiful way these stories are told.

The functions of art normally fall into three categories: physical, social, and personal. These categories
can and often do overlap in any given piece of art. When you're ready to start thinking about these
functions, here's how.
❖ FUNCTIONS OF ART
Art plays an important role in the society. There is difficulty in quantifying the functions of arts in the
history of mankind being because almost all creations of man had its own unique purpose. Different art
forms have its unique functions and different reasons for being created.
1.Personal or Individual Function. Artists have their personal reason as they try to express themselves.
An artist may create out of a need for selfexpression, or gratification. The artist might have wanted to
communicate a thought or point to the viewer.

2.Social Function. As a social being, man associates with those around him. Art is an avenue to extend
his sense of belongingness and connection with people. Through art, man learns to love and help each
other. Art gathers man as one family and community, through celebration like festivals, choral singing or
group dancing in religious rituals. Architectural structure like houses are built to unite families.

3.Economic Function. Any art production will definitely involve money. Reproduction of any artworks
that would still become the highest-paid, or even the reproduction of songs by great singers like Michael
Jackson, Celine Dion and Whitney Houston will gain millions of dollars. Film industries that spent millions
of pesos for the production. J.K. Rowling, the author of the best selling Harry Potter series, became one
of the most highly paid woman in British history.
4.Political Function. Political aspect of one particular country plays a very distinctive role nowadays. Arts
became the political medium to promote their political programs and political status.
5.Cultural Function. Tangible representations of one culture such as architectural structures like
buildings, sculpture like furniture and intangible representations like music, dance, and language or
literary piece form part of a nation’s culture. These cultural representations through art forms serve as a
channels to share and transmit from one generation to another generation.

6.Religious Function. Art forms like architecture, music, dance, and sculpture play an important role in
one cultural spirituality. People from the past worshipped their gods through sculptures with music and
dance. Nowadays, people are gathered in an architectural structure like churches, arenas and other
venues to worship and they incorporate music and dance.

7.Physical Function. Our health is our first priority, architectural structure like hospitals, physical therapy
center and laboratories are there to assist us for health care. Music and dance perform an important
role when our bodies need to rejuvenate and revitalize, one example is Zumba dance and reflective
music for yoga. Painting therapy was proven as therapeutic by some cancer patient.

8.Aesthetic Function. Beautification adds appeal and excitement like displays of paintings in an empty
area on a wall. Fashion always aims for beauty that is appealing to the eye. Film industries, Opera’s and
Theater provide extravagant and beautiful props and costumes for its realistic impact and appeal.

❖ FUNCTIONAL AND NON-FUNCTIONAL ARTS -Escalona (1992) classified arts into functional and non-
functional

1. Functional arts – These are the arts which have practical usage.Functional art refers to art forms that
are produced to perform specific or several purposes. An example of this classification is a chair. It is not
only the form of the chair that is presented. Its functional purpose is also highly appreciated too.

2. Non-Functional Arts- These are the arts which have no other purpose except that of giving pleasure or
life enhancement.

LESSON PROPER
The various classifications of art include: fine art, visual art, plastic art, performance art, applied art and
decorative art. Several of these classifications have subclassifications associated with them. This
category includes works of art that are created primarily for aesthetic reasons.
❖ CLASSIFICATIONS OF ART
1.Visual Arts- It deals with any creation of an artist that are primarily visual in nature.

a) Painting- It is a category in visual and fine arts that involves the application of paint, pigment, color, or
other medium to a surface (support base) in order to present a picture of a subject. Paintings may have
support bases such as walls, paper, canvas, wood, concrete glass, cloth, or cardboard.

There are various interpretations of Starry Night and one is that this canvas depicts hope. It seems that
van Gogh was showing that even with a dark night such as this it is still possible to see light in the
windows of the houses. Furthermore, with shining stars filling the sky, there is always light to guide you.
b. Sculpture- It is the art of carving, modelling, casting, assembling, and constructing materials into
figures of forms.
Andres Bonifacio MonumentThe Andrés Bonifacio Monument, commonly known simply as Bonifacio
Monument or Monumento, is a memorial monument in Caloocan, Philippines which was designed by
the
National Artist Guillermo Tolentino to commemorate Philippine revolutionary Andrés Bonifacio, the
founder and Supremo of the Katipunan.
c. Architecture- It is the art of designing and constructing buildings and other non-building structure for
man’s use.
The Colosseum in Rome is the largest and most famous monument in the Roman world.

d. Plastic Arts - These are art forms that involve modeling or molding such as sculpture and ceramics, or
art involving the representation of solid objects with three-dimensional effects.
Examples are architectural designs and construction of buildings and other structures: landscape
gardens, furnishing designs, City Planning, Interior Design, Industrial Design, etc.
2.Performing Arts
a) Dance- It is a type of art that generally involves movement of the body, usually rhythmic and
dependent to music, performed in many different cultures and used as a form of expression, social
interaction and exercise or presented in a spiritual or performance setting. It may also be regarded as a
form of non-verbal communication between humans. This includes ballroom dance, ballet, modern
dance, hiphop dance, folk dance and others.

b) Music - The art of combining sounds of varying pitches to produce a coherent composition that is
melodious, harmonious, intelligible, and expressive of ideas and emotions. Examples of music are vocal
music, instrumental music, opera, music comedy, musical play and others.

c) Theater- A play or a drama that is being re-created by an actress or actors to form a dramatic art form.
d) Film- or motion picture is the art of moving images; a visual medium that tells stories and exposes
reality. Thus, it is the manipulation of reality through image and sound.

3.Literary Arts- written material such as poetry, novels, poems, drama and others. It is highly expressive
in nature with the choice of words and emotional images.

4.Digital Arts – like graphic arts, it has two-flat dimensional surface, such as painting, drawing,
photography and other products of printing industry with the aid of computer and other electronic
devices.
5.Pop Art- This group is characterized as gay and lively. It includes film, newspaper, magazines, radio and
television.
6.Gustatory Art of the cuisine- This involves skill in food preparation or food art.

7.Decorative Arts- They are visual objects produced for aesthetic function for houses, interior designs,
offices, cars and other structures.
❖ PHILOSOPHICAL PERSPECTIVE OF ARTS
▪ Art as an Imitation- 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.- 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.
- Art is 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.
- 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 contrary 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

▪ Art as a Disinterested Judgement- Immanuel Kant, in his Critique of Judgement considered the
judgement of beauty, the cornerstone of art, as something that can be universal despite its subjectivity.
- Kant recognized that judgement of beauty is subjective.
- However, even subjective judgements are based on some universal criterion for the said judgement.
▪ 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 communications information to other people,
art communicates emotion.

- 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.

Chapter 6 Subject of Art and Methods of

Presenting Subjects;Representational and Non- Representational Arts
Introduction Representational and nonrepresentational (abstract) artists exhibit different conceptual
processes when they describe their work. Data from ekphrastic texts written by artists to accompany
their artwork show that, although both kinds of painters refer metaphorically to their art using terms
such as language, vocabulary, conversation, and narrative, the two use these words in different ways
and with different meanings. For example, representational painters refer to “languages” that consist of
the systems of represented objects, people, or landscapes that they depict, whereas
nonrepresentational painters write about “languages” composed of sets of colors or shapes. Moreover,
representational artists claim to engage in a “conversation” with the viewers of their works, whereas
nonrepresentational artists prefer to “converse” with their materials or canvases.
In general, representational painters use metaphorical terms such as language to describe their subject
matter and their artwork's effect on potential viewers, whereas nonrepresentational painters use the
same words to describe colors, shapes, and their own artistic process. Artists that combine
representation and abstraction in the same artwork (here termed “partly representational” artists) use
some of the metaphorspreferred by the purely representational artists and some of the metaphors of
the nonrepresentational artists, suggesting that the presence/absence of both representation and
abstraction affect the metaphors that artists use to describe their work.

❖ SUBJECT OF ART
Subject of art is usually anything that is represented in the artwork. It may be a person, object, scene or
event. Not all arts have subjects. Those arts without subject are called “non-objective” they do not
represent anything.
1.Representational or Objective Arts – Artworks that depict something that can easily be recognized
which is real and part of this world. This simply means that representational artwork aims to represent
or show actual objects or subjects from reality. Hence, artworks under this classification are also called
objective arts.
a) Portraiture – (pictures of men and women) It became popular before the invention of the camera;
was enjoyed only by elite: kings and noblemen; nowadays, charcoal is one of the mediums used in doing
portraits.

b) Animals and Plants – It represents animals and plants. It became the trend due to man’s first
encounters with plants and animals for survival; even now, painters prefer animals and plants,
specifically flowering plants as subjects for their paintings.

c) Still Life – representing inanimate objects or non-living things placed on a table or another setting to
become a subject in a certain artwork. It is always available and capable to be organized. E.g. a basket of
fruits, a bag of groceries, a pack of cigarettes, a bunch of flowers, and a bucket of chicken.

d) Country Life – copying scenes happening in the community. E.g. a barrio fiesta, a fluvial parade, a
bountiful rice harvest, a big catch of fishes, and a natural calamity.

e) Landscape – It depicts pictures of land forms. E.g. the volcano, the mountain, the hill, the valley, the
plain, the cliff and the like.

f) Seascape – pictures of any of the water forms e.g. the ocean, the sea, the river, the lake, the brook,
the pond, the falls, and the like.

g) Cityscape – pictures of an aerial view of a city or a portion of it.

h) Religious Items – The Holy Family, Madonna and the Child, Jesus Christ, angels, saints and other
religious objects.

i) Mythological, fictional, and cartoon characters – supernatural beings and fantasies, technological
items, and objects.
2.Non-Representational or Non-Objective Arts – Artworks that have no resemblance to any real subject
or objects or anything from nature. It does not represent anything. This may take the form of
emphasizing lines, shapes or colors that transform the subject.

• Abstract – Abstraction indicates a departure from reality in depiction or imagery in art. This departure
from accurate representation can be slight, partial, or complete.

3. SYMBOLISM - A symbol is a visible sign of something invisible such as an idea or quality. Symbolism
systematically uses symbols to concentrate or intensify meaning, making the work of art more
subjective(rather than objective) and conventional. For example, a flag is a symbol of a country and it
depicts the value of nationalism; a lion to represent courage and a lamb to represent meekness. The
logos and emblems of business firms and the coat of arms of bishops are also examples of symbolism

4. FAUVISM - It is derived from the French “les fauves,” which means “the wild beasts.” It is the first
movement in the modern period in which color ruled supreme and emphasizes the use of extremely
bright colors. To a fauvist, for example, a tree trunk need not be brown. Itcould be bright red, purple or
any other color.

5. DADAISM - The term “dada” is a French word, which means a “hobbyhorse.” A hobby-horse is a
child’s toy consisting of a wooden horse mounted on a stick. With this etymology, we could say that
Dadaism is system of art which is “nonsensical” or making no sense. Some would say it is not an art
because it strives to have no meaning at all.

6. FUTURISM – is an art movement that originated in Italy in the early 20th century. Machine and
motions are the main subject of this technique which try to show movement and speed. Thus, futurism
can be considered as realism in the future.

7. IMPRESSIONISM – It is also sometimes referred to as optical realism due to its interest in the actual
viewing experience, including such things as the effect of color, light and movement on the appearance
of the objects depicted in the artworks.

Impressionism focused on directly describing the visual sensations derived from nature. Devotees of
Impressionism were not concerned with the actual depiction of the objects they painted. Instead they
were concerned with the visual impressions aroused by those objects.
8. ABSTRACT EXPRESSIONISM – Abstract means “drawing away from reality” or “to move away”. The
principle of departure from the real life or reality makes abstraction stands out and different among
other methods. A realist artist represents subject as is in his artworks but an abstractionist ignores the
exact form of a real-life object. Abstract arts challenge the minds of the viewer to look deeper. Abstract
Expressionism was influenced by the Existentialist philosophy, which emphasized the importance of the
act of creating, not of the finished object. What matters for the artist are the qualities of the paint and
the act of painting itself.