Functions and Philosophical Perspectives of Art Aristotle • The Greek philosopher Aristotle claimed that every particular substance in the world has an end, telos in Greek, which translates to “purpose.” • In Aristotle’s view of reality, man is bound to achieve a life fulfillment and happiness, or in Greek, eudaimonia. Functions of Art Function • Different artwork come with distinctive functions • There is no one-to-one correspondence between an art and its function Classification of Functions of Art 1. Personal (public display, expression) 2. Social (celebration, to affect collective behavior) 3. Physical (utilitarian) Personal Functions of Art • Varied and highly subjective • It depends on the person/artist who created the art • The artist may create an art out of: • self expression • entertainment for intended audience • therapeutic Social Functions of Art • Art is considered to have a social function if and when it addresses a particular collective interest as opposed to a personal interest. • Political Art is a very common example of an art with social function. • Art may convey message to protest, contestation, or whatever message the artist intends his work to carry. • Art depicts social conditions. (Ex. Photography) Physical Function of Art • The easiest to spot and to understand. • Artworks that are crafted in order to serve some physical purpose. • (Ex. Architecture, jewelry-making, interior design) Other Functions of Art Music as a Function • Music in its original form was principally functional. • Used for dance and religion. • Powerful accompaniment to stage plays and motion pictures. • Has multitude of meanings to different people. Sculpture as a Function • Commonly used particularly for religion. • Used to commemorate important figures in history. Architecture as a Function • A lot of investment is to put mega structures like pyramids of Giza, the acropolis, or the great cathedrals of the medieval world. Does Art Always Have to be Functional? Does Art Always Have to be Functional? • A functional object cannot be claimed to be beautiful unless it can perform its function sufficiently. • (Ex. Consider a house that cannot even protect its resident from the nasty weather outside or a spoon that spills the food on it.) • Efficient functional object is not necessarily beautiful.
