What is Art?

An Introduction to Contemporary Arts from the Philippine Regions

(Part 1)

By Prof. Ronuel L. del Rosario

Usually when we hear the word art, we
think immediately of classical works and
products that are fancy, expensive,
exclusive, etc.

Or if not ,we think it is those projects we

used to do in MSEP class during our
elementary days. Pencil holders, poster
making contest works on illustration
boards, traced hearts and hands, and so
on.
But that is NOT all that art is, in fact,
YOUR idea of “art” is very small and
shallow it is almost depressing! Huhuhu

Would you agree that these are also
forms of art?
Would you agree that these are also
forms of art?
Would you agree that these are also
forms of art?
Would you agree that these are also
forms of art?
Art is defined in the lexicon as
the conscious production or
arrangement of sounds, colors, forms,
and movements, or other elements in a
manner that AFFECTS the SENSES and
EMOTIONS,
usually specifically production of the
beautiful in a graphic or plastic medium.
Art is defined in Wikipedia as
the expression or application of
human creative skill and imagination,

typically in a visual form such as

painting or sculpture, producing works to
be appreciated primarily for their beauty
or emotional power.
The Philosophy of Art
The definition of art has generally
fallen into three categories:
representation, expression, and form.
Plato first developed the idea of art
as “mimesis,” which, in Greek, means
copying or imitation, thus making
representation or replication of
something that is beautiful or meaningful
the primary definition of art.
“mimesis” – copying or imitation of something
beautiful
 Expression became important during
the Romantic movement with artwork
expressing a definite feeling, as in the
sublime or dramatic.

Audience response was important,

for the artwork was intended to evoke
an emotional response. This definition
holds true today, as artists look to
connect with and evoke responses from
their viewers.
Romantic movement/romanticism –
importance/beauty of evoking feelings,
drama, emotional response
 Immanuel Kant (1724-1804) was
one of the most influential of the
early theorists toward the end of
the 18th century.
He was considered a formalist in
terms of his philosophy, which meant that
he believed that art should not have a
concept but should be judged alone on its
formal/visual qualities, rather than its
narrative content or its relationship to the
visible world.
 Formal qualities
became particularly
important when art
became more abstract in
the 20th century, and the
principles of art and
design - terms such as
- balance,
- rhythm,
- -harmony,
- -unity
were used to define
and assess art
“Art for Art’s sake”
“
Quotations

Frank Lloyd Wright

Art is a discovery and development of
elementary principles of nature into
beautiful forms suitable for human use.
Quotations

Thomas Merton
Art enables us to find
ourselves and lose
ourselves at the same
time.
Quotations

Jean Sibelius
Art is the signature of
civilizations.
Quotations

Leo Tolstoy
Art is a human activity
consisting in this, that one
man consciously, by
means of certain external
signs, hands on to others
feelings he has lived
through, and that others
are infected by these
feelings and also
experience them.
CONCLUSION

Art can be thought of as a symbol of what it

means to be human, manifested in physical
form for others to see and interpret. It can
serve as a symbol for something that is
tangible, or for a thought, an emotion, a
feeling, or a concept. Through peaceful
means, it can convey the full spectrum of the
human experience. Perhaps that is why it is
so important.
 QUIZ!

TRUE/FALSE +
explain your
answer
TRUE/FALSE + explain your answer
1. Art is strictly paintings and
drawings created by famous
people.
2. If your drawing is copied from
another image, it is not proper
art.
3. An object of art is known to
produce emotional power from
the viewer.
 MULTIPLE CHOICE
4. Which of these is an example of
“mimesis”?
5. Which of the following works would
you say has impressed you the most?
Explain why.
6 – 10. After all that you have
learned today, how would YOU
define in your own words ART?