Lesson 2: Assumptions, Functions, and Philosophies of Art

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

• Clarify misconception about art

• Differentiate art from nature
• Characterize the assumptions of the arts
• Describe the functions and philosophy of art

Discussion:

Basic Assumptions of Art

1. Art is universal

In every country of the world, art exist because it is important to

people’s lives. It is the oldest and most important means of expression
developed by man in any culture. In fact, man learned to draw before he
could even start to talk as evidenced by some early paintings in caves and
trunks of trees – shown in prehistoric times.

2. 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 a sense of belonging.

3. Art is an expression of the mind

According to Jeff Lee (2016), art is a form of expression of the deepest

emotion of the minds. According to him, the egoic mind (conscious mind)
and the echoic mind (unconscious mind) together making up the totality of
thinking.

Artistic expression may be expressed 100% in conscious mind but those

who are extremely artistic or right-brained individuals, they may be more
creative and are able to recognize the value of linking seemingly unrelated
 thoughts or ideas, methods, and concepts because of their frequent
practice.

4. Art is not nature

Art is not nature because it is man-made. Art is man’s interpretation of

what he perceives as art. Nature, such as the mountains, the volcano, lakes,
rivers, land terrain are made by God and not by man. Thus, art, and not
nature, is made by man by all times.

5. Art is a form of creativity

Art is a product of the imagination that entertains, pleases and inspires

people. The various artworks of artists reflect the artist’s power of creativity.
Artists create artwork about anything they want, imagine or see
around them. The artists use their imagination to create any artwork using
strange shape and different kinds of links and colors.
Therefore, we can say that art is creative, not imitative; artworks are
produced by human creative skill and imagination.

6. Art involves experience.

When a work is finished in a satisfactory manner, an experience occurs.

Likewise, when a problem is solved or a game is played, or a conversation is
rounded out satisfactorily; experience do occur. Fulfillment and
consummation of an act conclude the experience.

Artists use their experiences to ventilate their feelings through works

that they make. Some artists focus on societal problems, issues, and
concerns.

Functions of Art
The seven functions of art are:

1. Aesthetic function - Through art, man becomes conscious of the beauty

of nature. he benefits from his own work and from those done by his
 fellowmen. He learns to use, love, and preserve them for his enjoyment
and appreciation.
2. Utilitarian function - With the creation of the various forms of art man now
lives in comfort and happiness. Through art, man is provided with shelter,
clothing, food, light, medicine, beautiful surroundings. personal
ornamentals, entertainment, language, transportation, and other
necessities and conveniences of life. Art does not only enrich man's life. It
also improves nature through landscape gardening creation of super
highways, and through propagation and conservation - of natural
resources.
3. Cultural function - Through the printed matter, art transmits and preserves
skills and knowledge from one generation to another. It makes man
aware of his cultural background, making him more knowledgeable
making his life more enduring and satisfying.
4. Social function - Through civic and graphic arts, man learns to love and
help each other. International understanding and cooperation are
fostered and nations become more unified, friendly, cooperative, helpful,
and sympathetic.
5. Political function - Art reinforces and enhance a sense of identity and
ideological connection to specific political views, political parties and
politicians.
6. Educational function - There are art symbols and signs to illustrate
knowledge and attitudes that are not expressed in words.
7. Spiritual function - Some art works express spiritual beliefs, customs,
ceremonies and rituals about the meaning and destiny of life. These
artworks may have religious significance.

Philosophical Perspectives on Art

Philosophy of art refers to the study of the nature of arts, its concept,
interpretation, representation, expression and form. Philosophy of art is closely
related to aesthetics, which is the study of beauty and taste.

There are five philosophical perspectives of art. These are:

1. Art as Mimesis

The word mimesis is a Greek word which means “imitation" or

"copying", although it may also mean representation. The philosophers Plato
and Aristotle spoke of mimesis as the representation of nature.
 Plato believed that all artistic creation is a mimesis. It exists in the "world
of ideas" and is created by God. The concrete things that man created are
just shadows created by man's mind. All artists are imitators of nature.

Aristotle speaks of tragedy as an “imitation of an action” – that of a

man falling from a higher to a lower estate. Thus, when an artist skillfully select
and present a material, that artist is purposely seeking to imitate or copy the
action of life.

2. Art as Representation (Aristotle)

Art represents something. When an artist uses signs and symbols to take
the place of something else, he is using art as a representation of such signs
and symbols. It is through representation that people organize the world and
reality through the act of naming its elements. Signs and symbols are
arranged in order to form semantic constructions and express relations with
the other things.

3. Art for Art's Sake (Kant)

It was Victor Cousin, a French philosopher who translated this slogan
which means "l'art pour l'art”. Artists associated with aestheticism believes
that art needs no justification. Art does not serve political didactic or other
hand.

Immanuel Kant's main interest was not in art per se, but in Beauty in the
Sublime. Kant being an Enlightenment writer thought that beauty or sublimity
were not really properties of objects, but ways in which respond to objects.
Kant pointed out that what he meant by Beauty is the Form of the Beautiful
but about Taste. Kant's concern is not on subjective aesthetic response but
on the function of individual or personal taste. He claimed that judgment of
taste are both subjective and universal.
He said that aesthetic universals are subjective because they are
responses of pleasure and do not essentially involve any claim about
properties of the object itself. On the other hand, aesthetic judgment is
universal because it is not merely personal but also, it is disinterested.
 4. Art as an Escape
According to Allen Weinstein, without mental escape, we build up a lot
of anxiety within ourselves. Artists have to get rid of this anxiety and pressure
because if we keep these worries and anxieties within our mind. they will
come out in the form of anger and even hatred. Unfortunately, such anger
and hatred are often taken out on the wrong people.

According to Señeres and others (2008), the artists works of art reveal
the emotional outburst that has been kept for many years in their mind. The
only way to take out such tension is through painting, dancing, music, and
other art forms. They are a cathartic solutions to one's anxiety and life's
difficulties. Likewise, the awareness that these works of art created among
the viewers may also lead to a positive or negative emotional reaction.

5. Art as Functional

The artist intent in creating a functional piece of art is to bring

creativity, beauty, and usefulness into people's everyday lives. Whether it's a
curvy chair made of cardboard, a banca made of paper, functional art
makes us rethink and re-assess the way we look at ordinary things, sometimes
by using unusual materials in their construction.

Reference:
Ariola, Mariano M. (2018) Art Appreciation. Intramuros, Manila: Unlimited Books
Library Services & Publishing Inc.