HUM 100: Art Appreciation Lesson 1, Week 1-2

Source: Caslib, B.N, Garing, D.C., & Casaul, J.A. (2018) Art Appreciation. Quezon City. Rex Printing Company, Inc. pp. 2-17
THE MEANING AND IMPORTANCE OF ARTS

Loosely defined, the term humanities refers to the the study of the arts- which includes architecture, painting, sculpture,
music, dance, theatre or drama, and literature. With art being considered as one of the most prominent media used in
human communication, humanities aims to make students understand how human thoughts, feelings, situations, and
relations are reflected in, and at times influenced by, different works of art.

The Nature of Art

Art is considered as one of the significant aspects of human life. It constitutes one of the oldest and most unique means
of expression invented and developed by man.

Art has been defined in various ways. Hereunder are some of the definitions given by various authors:

1. Art is derived from the Latin word “ars”, meaning ability or skill.- J.V. Estolas
2. Art is taken from the Italian word, “artis”, which means craftsmanship, skill, mastery of form, inventiveness and the
association that exist between form and ideas and between material and techniques.- A. Tan
3. Art is a product of man’s need to express himself.- F. Zulueta
4. Art is concerned itself with the communication of certain ideas and feelings by means of sensuous medium, color,
sound, bronze, marble, words, and film.- C. Sanchez
5. Art is that which brings life in harmony with the beauty of the world. - Plato
6. Art is an attitude of spirit, a state of mind- one which demands for its own satisfaction and fulfilling, a shaping of
matter to new an more significant form.- John Dewey
7. Art is the skillful arrangement or composition of some common but significant qualities of nature such as 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

From the definitions above, there are four (4) common essentials of art:
(1) Art must be man-made;
(2) Art must be creative, not imitative;
(3) art must benefit and satisfy man- man make use of art in practical life through artistic principles, taste, and skill;
(4) Art is expressed through a certain medium or material by which the artist communicates himself to his fellows.

Art has a particular importance in our lives. All the art that we see and hear have a purpose as well as expression; they
occupy some place in our judgment. We can communicate through paintings, songs, dances and dramatic plays to
highlight and heighten the importance of certain events and to keep them memorable and pleasurable. We also build
monuments to remind us of the heroic deeds of great men.

Artworks are also valuable sources of inspiration, and aesthetic experience.Through the artist’s work, we get a glimpse of
the thoughts, feelings and beliefs of the people in their time and the faces in their environment that influenced their artwork.
We also value and appreciate beautiful things as a consequence of our encounter with the arts. Out of aesthetic experiences
we derive from the arts, we may be influenced to change our ways and behavior. They may transform us into highly-
cultured, dignified, and respectable human beings. The arts may beautify our humanity.

This explains why the study of the arts is called humanities. They bring out the good and noble in us. Through the arts, we
come to know the changing image of man as he journeys across time, searches for the reality, and strive to achieve the
ideals that create meaning for life.
ASSUMPTIONS OF ART

Art is universal.
Art has always been timeless and universal, spanning generations and continents through and through. In every country and
in every generation, there is always art. Oftentimes, people feel that what is considered art are only those which have been
made long time ago. This is a misconception. Age is not a factor in determining art. An “...art is not good because it is old,
but old because it is good”(Dudley et al., 1960). In the Philippines, the works of Jose Rizal and Francisco Balagtas are not
being read because they are old. Otherwise, the works of other Filipinos who have long died would have been required in
junior high school too. The pieces mentioned read in school and have remained to be with us because they are good. They
are liked and adored because they meet our needs an desires.

The first assumption then about the humanities is that art has been crafted by all people regardless of origin, time, place,
and that it stayed on because it is liked and enjoyed by people continuously. A great piece of work will never be obselete.
Some people say that art is art for its intrinsic worth. In John Stuart Mill’s Utilitarianism (1879), enjoyment in the arts
belong to a higher good, one that lies at the opposite of end base pleasures. Art will always be present because human being
will always express themselves and delight in these expressions. Men will continue to use art while art persists and never
gests depleted.

Art is not nature.

Another important characteristic of art is that it is not nature. Art is man’s expression of his reception of nature. Art is
man’s way of interpreting nature. Art is made by man, whereas nature is given around us. It is in this juncture that they can
be considered opposites. What we find in nature should not be expected to be present in art too. Movies, for example, are
not meant to be direct representation of reality. They may according to the moviemaker’s perception of reality, be an
interpretation or even distortion of nature.

This distinction assumes that all of us see nature, perceives its elements in myriad, different, yet ultimately valid ways. Paul
Cezanne , a French painter, painted a scene from reality entitled Well and Grinding Wheel in the Forest of the Chateau Noir.
While the said scence is inspired by a real scene in the forest around the Chateau Noir area near Aix in Cezanne’s native
province, one can see that Cezanne’s landscape painting is quite differnt from the original scene. Cezanne has changed
some patterns and details from the way they were actually in the photograph. What he did is not nature. It is art.

Art involves experience.

For most people, art does not require a full definition. Art is just experience. By experience, we mean the “actual doing of
something”(Dudley et al., 1960). Unlike fields of knowledge that involve data, art is known by experience. A painter, for
instance, cannot claim to know how to paint if he has not tried holding a brush. In order to know what an artwork is, we
have to sense it, see or hear it, and see AND hear it.

An important aspect of experiencing art is its being highly personal, individual, and subjective. In philosophical terms,
perception of art is always a value judgment. It depends on who the perceiver is, his tastes, his biases, and what he has
inside him. One cannot argue with another person’s evaluation of art because one’s experience cannot be known by another.

Finally, one should also underscore that every experience with art is accompanied by some emotion. One either likes or
dislikes, agrees or disagrees that a work of art is beautiful. With experience comes emotions and feelings, which are
concrete proofs that the artwork has been experienced.

ART APPRECIATION: CREATIVITY, IMAGINATION, AND EXPRESSION

Art Appreciation is the ability to interpret or understand man-made arts and enjoy them either through actual and work-
experience with art tools and materials or possession of these works of art for one’s admiration and satisfaction. Art
appreciation therefore deals with learning or understanding and creating arts and enjoying them.
Perhaps not everyone can be considered an artist, but surely, all are spectators of art. In deciding what pair of shoes to buy,
we carefully examine all possible choices within our budget and purchase the one that satisfies our beauty and practical
standards. Such simple experiences prove that we are to distinguish what is fine and beautiful from what is not and what is
good quality from poor. This gives us a role in the field of art appreciation.

Art Appreciation as a Way of Life

Jean-Paul Sartre, a famous French philosopher of the twentieth century, described the role of art as a creative work that
depicts the world in a completely different light and perspective, and the source is due to human freedom (Greene, 1995).
Each artwork beholds beauty of its own kind, the kind that the artist sees and wants the viewers to perceive. More often than
not, people are blind to this beauty and only those who have developed a fine sense of appreciation can experience and see
the art the same way that the artist did. Because of this, numerous artworks go unnoticed, artists not given enough credit,
and they miss opportunities.It sometimes takes a lifetime before their contribution to the development of art is recognized.
Hence, refining one’s ability to appreciate allows him to deeply understand the purpose of an artwork and recognize the
beautty it possesses (Collins & Riley, 1931).

In cultivating an appreciation of art, one should also exercise and develop his taste for things that are fine and beautiful.
This allows individuals to make intelligent choices and decisions in acquiring necessities and luxuries, knowing what give
better value for time or money while taking into consideration the aesthetic and practical value (Collins & Riley, 1931). This
continuous demand for aesthetically valuable things influences the development and eveolution of art and its forms.

Frequenting museums, art galleries, performing arts theaters, concert halls, or even malls that display art exhibitions that are
free in admission during leisure time will not only develop an understanding of the art, but will also serve as a rewarding
experience. Learning to appreciate art, no matter what vocation or profession you have, will lead to a fuller and more
meaningful life (Collins & Riley, 1931).

The Role of Creativity in Art Making

Creativity requires thinking outside the box. It is often used to solve problems that have never occured 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. We say that something is done creatively when we have not seen anything like it or when it is our of
the ordinary. A creative artist does not simply copy of imitate another artist’s work. He does not imitate the lines, flaws,
colors, and patterns in recreating nature. He embraces originality, puts his own flavor into his work, and calls it his own
creative piece.

Yet, being creative nowadays can be quite challenging. What you thought was your own unique and creative idea may not
what it seems to be after extensive research as it could coincidentally be similar to someone else’s idea in a nother part of
the world. Thus, creativity should be backed with careful research on related art to avoid such conflicts.

Art as a Product of Imagination, Imagination as a Product of Art

In an artist’s mind sits a gallery of artwork. An artwork does not need to be a real thing, but something that is imaginary
(Collingwood, 1938). Take for example a musician who thinks of a tune in his head. The making of this tune in his head
makes it an imaginary tune, an imaginative creation, an imaginary art (Collingwood, 1938). It remains imaginary until he
hums, sings, or writes down the note of thetune on paper. However, something imaginary does not necessarily mean it
cannot be called art. Artists use their imagination that gives birth to reality through creation. In the same way that
imagination produces art, art also inspires imagination. Often, you will find coffee shops, restaurants, and libraries with
paintings hung or sculptures and other pieces of art placed around the room to add beauty to the surroundings. Works of art
were made not only because the were functional, but also because they gave joy to man.