Unit 1
Humanities and the Arts
This unit shall give you a run through an overview of the Humanities and the significance
of the Arts as an important aspect of being human. Here, the basics of art appreciation shall be
discussed which will further enhance the learner’s orientation on the significant role of
humanities and the arts in one’s culture and the society in general.
Learning Objectives:
1.Define Humanities and the Arts
2. Reflect on the contributions of humanities and the arts to people, culture and society. 3.
Relate Arts and Humanities to Philosophy
4. Identify and give meaning to the different art forms
5. Review on the importance of the study of the Arts and art appreciation 6.
Appreciate the contributions of the Arts to oneself.
Lesson 1 - Humanities and the Arts
“Man is the measure of all things.” - Protagoras
What is Humanities?
Humanities are academic disciplines that study aspects of human society and culture. In
the Renaissance, the term contrasted with divinity and referred to what is now called classics,
the main area of secular study in universities at the time. Today, the humanities are more
frequently contrasted with natural, and sometimes social sciences, as well as professional
training.
The humanities use methods that are primarily critical, or speculative, and have
a significant historical element as distinguished from the mainly empirical approaches of the
natural sciences, yet, unlike the sciences, it has no central discipline. The humanities include the
study of ancient and modern languages, literature, philosophy, history,
archeology,
anthropology, human geography, law, politics, religion and art.
Scholars in the humanities are "humanity scholars" or humanists. The term "humanist" also
describes the philosophical position of humanism, which some "anti-humanist" scholars in the
humanities reject. The Renaissance scholars and artists were also called humanists. Some
secondary schools offer humanities classes usually consisting of literature, global studies and
art.
Human disciplines like history, folkloristics, and cultural anthropology study subject matters that
the manipulative experimental method does not apply to—and instead mainly use the
comparative method and comparative research.
The study of humanities may also be attributed to the symmetry and balance discussed
by the art piece known as the Vitruvian Man of Leonardo da Vinci. This image demonstrates the
blend of mathematics and art during the Renaissance and demonstrates Leonardo's deep
understanding of proportions. In addition, this picture represents a cornerstone of Leonardo's
attempts to relate man to nature. Encyclopædia Britannica
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online states, "Leonardo envisaged the great picture chart of the human body he had produced
through his anatomical drawings and Vitruvian Man as a cosmografia del minor mondo
(cosmography of the microcosm). He believed the workings of the human body to be an analogy
for the workings of the universe."
According to Leonardo's preview in the accompanying text, written in mirror writing, it
was made as a study of the proportions of the (male) human body as described in Vitruvius' De
architectura. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humanities)
Image of the Vitruvian Man (widewalls.ch/google images)
Why Study Humanities?
A lot of reasons had been associated as to why one must study Humanities. The following
items are just a few of the many reasons why one must engage and be interested in Humanities:
As the word humanities came from the Latin “humanus” which means human, cultured
and refined, man is taught to be as what the term exactly means: being cultured and refined;
Humans have the characteristics of rationality, benevolence and care, he is cultured and
refined as shown by good tastes and manner indicative of good and proper education
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Humanities contains the records of man’s quest for answers to the
fundamental questions he asks himself and about the world we live in
Humanities studies man and the manner in which he conducts himself from the time of
his existence to the present (Martin & Jacobus, 2004)
Humanities is composed of academic disciplines that make it distinctive in both content
and method from the physical and biological sciences and from the social sciences
The study of Humanities is devoted to understanding the different phenomena within
the human cultural contexts
Humanities studies how people process and document the human experience using
philosophy, religion, literature, art and history as their way of understanding and recording the
world
Humanities studies how individuals’ manner of expression varies as they record human
experiences and how the way of documenting these forms a connection between and among
humans of the past, present and future.
Fundamental Principles of Humanities
The following are identified fundamental principles of Humanities which are used as
guides for a better understanding of life and man’s existence.
1. Human nature is inherently good.
2. Individuals are free and are capable of making choices.
3. Human potential for growth and development is virtually unlimited. 4. Selfconcept plays an important role in growth and development. 5. Individuals have
an urge for self actualization.
6. Reality is defined by each person.
7. Individuals have a responsibility to both themselves and to others. Art
Explained
Art is a diverse range of human activities in creating visual, auditory or performing
artifacts (artworks), expressing the author's imaginative, conceptual ideas, or technical skill,
intended to be appreciated for their beauty or emotional power. Other activities related to the
production of works of art include the criticism of art, the study of the history of art, and the
aesthetic dissemination[clarification needed of art.
The three classical branches of art are painting, sculpture and architecture. Music, theater,
film, dance and other performing arts as well as literature and other media such as interactive
media, are included in a broader definition of the arts. Until the 17th century, art referred to any
skill or mastery and was not differentiated from crafts or sciences. In modern usage after the
17th century, where aesthetic considerations are paramount, the fine arts are separated and
distinguished from acquired skills in general, such as the decorative or applied arts.
Though the definition of what constitutes art is disputed and has changed over time,
general descriptions mention an idea of imaginative or technical skill stemming from human
agency and creation. The nature of art and related concepts, such as creativity and interpretation,
are explored in a branch of philosophy known as aesthetics.
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Nature of the Arts
The following are identified natures of the Arts from the point of view of
different artists and philosophers:
1. Art or arts is of Aryan root “ar” which means to join or put together and has its Latin term
being “sars” or “artis” which means everything that is artificially made or composed by man
(wikipedia)
2. Art constitutes one of the oldest and most important means of
expression developed by man.
3. It refers to the skillful arrangement or composition of some common but significant qualities
of nature such as sounds, colors, lines, movements, words, stone and wood to express feelings,
thoughts, imaginations and dreams in an amazing, meaningful and enjoyable way. (Adams,
2002)
4. Art is subjective as it employs the use of perception, insights, feelings and intuition 5. It is
the heightened expression of human dignity and weaknesses felt and shared so powerfully in a
world increasingly aware of its successes and failures 6. It is man’s expression of himself as an
individual and how he views his existence, and 7. Art also provides enjoyment and stimulation
specially when people understand them
Functions of Art
Arts is a much needed avenue for people to:
1. Express freely oneself;
2. Socially express his need for display, celebration and communication; and 3.
Physically express the need for utility of functional objects.
The Forms of Art Differentiated
The matrix below shows the difference of the art forms as identified:
Functional art forms
(the need for life to be better)
non- functional art forms
( the need to express aesthetics and beauty)
Architecture,weaving, furniture-making
painting, sculpture, literature,
music, dance and theater
Functional Art Forms are those which may benefit the cause of man’s existence. They
are art forms which give people sustenance as to need for life to be better. This benefit is mostly
financial in nature. Functional art is generally applied art - art created for use, not necessarily
everyday use, but designed to serve a purpose and with an aesthetic in mind. It's art that serves
a function, but is designed artistically for the purpose of beauty. They meet a need for use, and
are works of art as well. (www.quora.com)
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The following example art pieces below are just a few of those which may
be considered functional art forms:
andreadavis-become.com (google images) brabbu.com (google images)
Examples of Functional Art Forms
Non-functional art forms, on the other hand, Nonfunctional art is art that serves no
utilitarian purpose. It is in direct contrast with functional art, which has both an aesthetic value
and a utilitarian purpose. Nonfunctional art also encompasses paintings, sculptures and all
manner of fine art. These pieces usually seek to engage with the viewer on an intellectual,
emotional or aesthetic level. The exploration of these sensibilities, rather than their utilitarian
merits, determines the artworks' worth. (reference.com)
julspottery.com (google images) slideshare.com (google images) Examples of Nonfunctional art forms
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Activity 1
Directions: Choose an object that you have difficulty in using. Make a plan to change the
form of this object to make it more functional.
Use the following as format of your presentation:
Identify the object. Associate a picture for visualization.
Presentation of the Plan ( in chronological and bulleted form)
Activity1
Discuss the very important takeaways that you have learned from the lessons discussed.
Answer:
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________.
Lesson 2 - Arts and Philosophy
Philosophy and Arts Related
Philosophy is a field of discipline which has attempted to explain almost all aspects of
human existence. Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental questions about existence,
knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Such questions are often posed as problems to
be studied or resolved. The term was probably coined by Pythagoras.
Art or Aesthetics, on the other hand, is the study of beauty and taste, concerned with the
nature of art and used as a basis for interpreting and evaluating individual works of art. It is a
branch of philosophy that deals with the nature of beauty and taste, as well as the philosophy of
art. It examines subjective and sensori-emotional values, or sometimes called judgments of
sentiment and taste.
Philosophy of art is the study of the nature of art, including concepts such
as interpretation, representation and expression, and form. It is closely related to aesthetics, the
philosophical study of beauty and taste. In short, one cannot do away with philosophy
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Activity 1
Directions: Choose an object that you have difficulty in using. Make a plan to change the
form of this object to make it more functional.
Use the following as format of your presentation:
Identify the object. Associate a picture for visualization.
Presentation of the Plan ( in chronological and bulleted form)
Activity1
Discuss the very important takeaways that you have learned from the lessons discussed.
Answer:
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________.
Lesson 2 - Arts and Philosophy
Philosophy and Arts Related
Philosophy is a field of discipline which has attempted to explain almost all aspects
of human existence. Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental questions about
existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Such questions are often posed
as problems to be studied or resolved. The term was probably coined by Pythagoras.
Art or Aesthetics, on the other hand, is the study of beauty and taste,
concerned with the nature of art and used as a basis for interpreting and evaluating
individual works of art. It is a branch of philosophy that deals with the nature of beauty
and taste, as well as the philosophy of art. It examines subjective and sensori-emotional
values, or sometimes called judgments of sentiment and taste.
Philosophy of art is the study of the nature of art, including concepts such
as interpretation, representation and expression, and form. It is closely related to
aesthetics, the philosophical study of beauty and taste. In short, one cannot do away with
philosophy
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when explaining an art work. Also, one cannot produce an artwork without
considering the importance of the philosophy behind its
production.(wikipedia.com) Below is an example of an art form entitled “ Art is a
Friendly Deception” that combines both art and philosophy.
medium.com (google images)
The Artistic Philosophers
The following are just a few of the philosophers whose advocacies not
only focused on the philosophic ideas but also shared a few of their conceptions about
the Arts.
1. Plato ( 428 – 347 BC) is a philosopher of Ancient Greece who is known for
his Dialogues together with Socrates. He loved and hated the arts at the same time
which makes his philosophical views on art unexplainably complicated. With the
Republic being his work, Plato was seen as a good literary stylist and great story teller
and considered the arts as threatening. He believed that “ though arts can be used to
train citizens to have an ideal society, using arts to accomplish this should be
strictly controlled”. He also explained that the physical world is a copy of a perfect,
rational, eternal and changeless original which he called FORMS.
Plato’s Ideas of the Arts may be summed up by the truths according to him
that: 1. Art is imitation; 2. Art is dangerous.
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(google images)
Beauty, Justice, and The Circle are all examples of what Plato called Forms
or Ideas. Other philosophers have called them Universals. Many particular things can
have the form of a circle, or of justice, or beauty. For Plato, these Forms are perfect Ideals,
but they are also more real than physical objects. He called them "the Really Real".
The world of the Forms is rational and unchanging; the world of physical appearances
is changeable and irrational, and only has reality to the extent that it succeeds in
imitating the Forms. The mind or soul belongs to the Ideal world; the body and its passions
are stuck in the muck of the physical world. So the best human life is one that strives
to understand and to imitate the Forms as closely as possible. That life is the life of
the mind, the life of the Philosopher (literally, the lover of wisdom). Self control,
especially control of the passions, is essential to the soul that wants to avoid the
temptations of sensuality, greed, and ambition, and move on to the Ideal World in the next
life. (wikipedia.com)
2. Aristotle ( 384 – 322 BC) was a student of Plato who first distinguished between
“what is good and what is beautiful''. For him, the universal elements of beauty are
manifested by order, symmetry and definiteness. As exemplified in his Poetics, he stated
that physical manifestation of beauty is affected by SIZE. He considered art as imitation
or a representation of nature and his emphasis of the art is on POETRY which for him is
more philosophical than Philosophy itself.
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An image of Aristotle’s Poetics (google images)
Poets imitated the following according to Aristotle:
1. Things and events which have been or still are;
2. Things which are said to be seen and are probable and
3. Things which essentially are.
3. Immanuel Kant (1724 – 1804) was a German, Enlightenment philosopher who wrote
a treatise on Aesthetics: Observations on the Feelings of the Beautiful and the Sublime.
His main interest was not on art but on BEAUTY that it is a matter of TASTE.
Kant explained that TASTE can be both SUBJECTIVE and UNIVERSAL.
For KANT, beauty is a question of form and color is NOT
IMPORTANT. The Kinds of Aesthetic Responses according to Kant
are:
1. Beauty results in pleasure if there is order, harmony and symmetry; and 2.
Beauty leads to a response of awe that overwhelms the viewers of the art.
pinterest.com (google images)
Kant’s Philosophy of the Mind as explained through Arts
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Activity 2
Directions: Answer the following questions:
1. Why is it necessary for one to have a philosophical perspective on arts?
2. Identify other philosophers who advocated the arts and compare their ideas
with those of the three notable ones as discussed in this module.
3. Whose perspective of the arts do you adhere to? Why?
4. Say something about the artwork “ Art is a Friendly Deception”. Expound your idea by
means of giving relevant examples.
Artists vs. Artisans
An artist is a person engaged in an activity related to creating art, practicing
the arts, or demonstrating an art. The common usage in both everyday speech and
academic discourse is a practitioner in the visual arts only. The term is often used in
the entertainment business, especially in a business context, for musicians and
other performers (less often for actors). "Artiste" (the French for artist) is a variant used
in English only in this context; this use is becoming rare. Use of the term to
describe writers, for example, is valid, but less common, and mostly restricted to contexts
like criticism. (www.wikipedia.com)
The following are a few examples of artists in their fields of
expertise:
An image of a Bagiuo painter with his artwork (businessmirror.com.ph)
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Ryan Cayabyab, A National Artist of the Philippines for Music
(ncaa.gov.ph)
An artisan (from French: artisan, Italian: artigiano) is a skilled craft worker
who makes or creates things by hand that may be functional or strictly decorative, for
example furniture, decorative arts, sculptures, clothing, jewellery, food items, household
items and tools or even mechanisms such as the handmade clockwork movement of a
watchmaker. Artisans practice a craft and may through experience and aptitude reach the
expressive levels of an artist. The adjective "artisanal" is sometimes used in describing
hand
processing in what is usually viewed as an industrial process, such as in the
phrase artisanal mining. Thus, "artisanal" is sometimes used in marketing and advertising
as a buzz word to describe or imply some relation with the crafting of handmade
food products, such as bread, beverages or cheese. Many of these have traditionally
been handmade, rural or pastoral goods but are also now commonly made on a larger
scale with automated mechanization in factories and other industrial areas. Artisans were
the dominant producers of consumer products before the Industrial Revolution. In
ancient Greece, artisans were drawn to agoras and often built workshops nearby. Below
are a few images of artisans doing their crafts:
Sources:
pinterest.com, slideshare.com and devex.com (google images)
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Here is a Venn Diagram which features the similarities and differences of
artists and artisans.
source:scribd.com (google images)
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Activity 3
Directions: Collect 10 pictures each featuring artists and artisans. Use the Google JamBoard
in doing this exercise. As an activity:
Curate the pictures sent in a matrix with two columns, one for the artist column and another
one for artisan.
Group the pictures accordingly then be ready to present your work in class.
The Art Forms
The arts refers to the theory, human application and physical expression of creativity
found in human cultures and societies through skills and imagination in order to produce
objects, environments and experiences. Major constituents of the arts include visual arts
(including architecture, ceramics, drawing, filmmaking, painting, photography and sculpting),
literature (including fiction, drama, poetry, and prose), and performing arts (including dance,
music and theater), culinary arts (including cooking, chocolate making and winemaking).
Some art forms combine a visual element with performance (e.g. cinematography), or
artwork with the written word (e.g. comics). From prehistoric cave paintings to modern-day
films, art serves as a vessel for storytelling and conveying humankind's relationship with the
environment. (wikipedia.com)
One’s self expression especially when inclined with arts may take various
forms depending on the expertise and artistic inclinations of an artist, One may want to
express his artistic abilities by way of specific art forms such as painting or dance or
a combination of both. One may express oneself through other forms as music,
sculpture, literature or all of three combined. Whatever form of art one may use in
expressing oneself, what is important is that his self expression and creativity are explicit.
The following items below are the art forms which one may use in order to express
his artistic inclinations:
1. Architecture. Architecture is an art form that reflects how we present ourselves across the
earth’s landscape, and, like other expressive mediums, it changes with styles, technologies and
cultural adaptations. Architecture not only provides worldly needs of shelter, workspace and
storage but also represents human ideals in buildings like courthouses and government
buildings and manifestations of the spirit in churches and temples. Traditional architecture has
survived over thousands of years in one form or another, while contemporary design offers
new approaches in how we use materials and technology to shape the look of our
environment. (https://courses.lumenlearning.com/sac-artappreciation/chapter/oer-1-27/)
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Architecture is considered as the most functional of all the art forms. Some examples
of architectural works are The Malacanang Palace, the Philippines’ seat of government, The
Cultural Center of the Philippines, the center of cultural activities of the country and Burj
Khalifa, the highest skyscraper in the United Arab Emirates to name a few.
An image
of The Malacanang Palace Source:discovephilippines.com (google
images)
The Cultural Center of the Philippines Source: blueprint.onemega.com (google
images)
Burj Khalifa Source: boondam.com (google images)
2. Sculpture. Sculpture, an artistic form in which hard or plastic materials are worked into
three-dimensional art objects. The designs may be embodied in freestanding objects,
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in reliefs on surfaces, or in environments ranging from tableaux to contexts that envelop the
spectator. An enormous variety of media may be used, including clay, wax, stone, metal,
fabric, glass, wood, plaster, rubber, and random “found” objects. Materials may be carved,
modeled, molded, cast, wrought, welded, sewn, assembled, or otherwise shaped and combined.
(https://www.britannica.com/art/sculpture)
Some example of sculptures are the following: The Jose Rizal Monument in Rizal Park, the
University of the Philippines Oblation in all UP campuses around the Philippines and the Black
Nazarene in the Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene in Quiapo district, Manila, Philippines.
The
Rizal Monument Source: commons.wikimedia.org (google
images)
The UP Oblation The Black Nazarene Source: editorial101.blogspot.com
Source: en.wikipedia.org
3. Painting. Painting is the application of pigments to a support surface that establishes an
image, design or decoration. In art the term “painting” describes both the act and the result.
Most painting is created with pigment in liquid form and applied with a brush. Painting as a
medium has survived for thousands of years and is, along with drawing and sculpture, one of
the oldest creative media. It’s used in some form by cultures around the world. Painting media
are extremely versatile because they can be applied to many different surfaces (called
supports) including paper, wood, canvas, plaster, clay, lacquer and concrete. (source:
https://courses.lumenlearning.com/masteryart1/chapter/reading painting) Some of the
examples of this two-dimentional art form are Juan Luna’s
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Spolarium, Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci and The Fishermen by Ang Kiukok
among others.
The Fishermen by Ang Kiukok Source: theculturetrip.com (google images)
Spolarium by Juan Luna Source: news.abs-cbn.com (google images)
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Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci Source: britannica.com (google images)
4. Dance. Dance is the movement of the body in a rhythmic way, usually to music and within
a given space, for the purpose of expressing an idea or emotion, releasing energy, or simply
taking delight in the movement itself. Dance is a powerful impulse, but the art of dance is that
impulse channeled by skillful performers into something that becomes intensely expressive
and that may delight spectators who feel no wish to dance themselves. These two concepts of
the art of dance—dance as a powerful impulse and dance as a skillfully choreographed art
practiced largely by a professional few—are the two most important connecting ideas running
through any consideration of the subject. In dance, the connection between the two concepts
is stronger than in some other arts, and neither can exist without the other. dance is an art form
or activity that utilizes the body and the range of movement of which the body is
capable. (https://www.britannica.com/art/dance)
Some of the examples of this art form are the folk dances of the Philippines
like Tinikling and Subli, ballet, and modern dances to name a few.
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The Tinikling Source: pinoyfolkdances.blogspot.com (google images)
Subli Folk Dance Source: choosephilippines.com google images)
Modern Hip Hop Dance Source: datebook.sfchronicle.com (google images)
5. Music. Music is an art form, and cultural activity, whose medium is sound. General
definitions of music include common elements such as pitch (which
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governs melody and harmony), rhythm (and its associated concepts tempo, meter, and
articulation), dynamics (loudness and softness), and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture
(which are sometimes termed the "color" of a musical sound). Different styles or types of
music may emphasize, de-emphasize or omit some of these elements. Music is performed with
a vast range of instruments and vocal techniques ranging from singing to rapping; there are
solely instrumental pieces, solely vocal pieces (such as songs without instrumental
accompaniment) and pieces that combine singing and instruments. (wikipedia)
Some of the examples which may be associated with music are the Philippine folk songs and
the produced popular music of Filipino singers like Sarah Geronimo and Gary Valenciano to
name a few.
Popular Filipino Bands Source: wheninmanila.com (google images)
Source: actmusicguide.wordpress.com (google images)
6. Theater. Theatre or theater is a collaborative form of performing art that uses
live performers, typically actors or actresses, to present the experience of a real or
imagined event before a live audience in a specific place, often a stage. The performers
may communicate this experience to the audience through combinations of gesture,
speech, song, music, and dance. Elements of art, such as painted scenery and stagecraft such as
lighting are used to enhance the physicality, presence and immediacy of the experience. The
specific place of the performance is also named by the word "theatre" as derived from the
Ancient Greek théatron, "a place for viewing", itself from theáomai, "to see", "to watch", "to
observe". Modern theatre includes performances of plays and musical theatre. The art forms
of ballet and opera are also theatre and use many conventions such as acting, costumes and
staging. They were influential to the
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development of musical theatre; see those articles for more
information. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theatre)
Some examples of theatrical presentations are the following: Shakespeare’s
Midsummer Night’s Dream and Romeo and Juliet, Victor Hugo’s Les Miserables and the
local theatrical presentations of Noli Me Tangere and chosen zarzuelas and moromoro performances.
Source: slideshare.net (google images)
Plays of William Shakespeare Sources: theatre.colostate.edu and pa.marin.edu
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7. Literature. Literature, most generically, is any body or collection of written work. More
restrictively, literature refers to writing considered to be an art form or any single writing
deemed to have artistic or intellectual value, and sometimes deploys language in ways that
differ from ordinary usage. Literature is classified according to whether it is fiction or
nonfiction, and whether it is poetry or prose. Fiction can be further distinguished according to
major forms such as the novel, short story, or drama; and such works are often categorized
according to historical periods or their adherence to certain
aesthetic or genre.
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Literature)
Literature may be in any form such as poetry, novel, short story, essay, epic and
legends among others. Literature may be oral or written and are also sometimes meant to
be performed before an audience.
Some exmaples of this literary pieces are The Woman Who Had Two Navels by Nick Joaquin,
Po-on by F. Sionil Jose, Myths, Legends and Folktales by Maximo D. Ramos and Stupid is
Forever by the late Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago.
source: google images
The art forms may be classified as visual arts and performing arts. Visual arts
are those which are felt by the senses which includes sculpture, painting and architecture.
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Music, Dance and Theater are under the performance arts category. Literature may be visual
or performance depending upon the manner as to how it shall be presented. At present, there
are other emerging art forms that have evolved. These art forms are digital arts which
includes photography and installation arts.
Appreciating the Arts
The previous pages of this module have given you a rundown of the basics of
art appreciation and the key points as to how one will be keen in understanding a
certain artwork or other forms of artistic presentation. The aim of making the students learn
to appreciate the arts is primarily to get the learner an engaging relationship with a particular
art work and for one to understand the meaning behind an artistic creation, the messages that
it would want to convey to its viewers and to appreciate one’s product of art should one will
be compelled to produce or make one. In so doing, here are a few pointers as to how art
appreciation may be applied by a learner of the course as
takeaways from
learn.saylor.org/course:
1. Give a good physical description of the artwork based on their knowledge of art elements
and materials;
2. Analyze the artwork in terms of what the artist wants his work to represent and the
learner’s subjective reaction to the works which includes their thoughts and feelings; 3.
Perceive the art work in the context of its history. This would enlighten the learners of the
artist’s intention in doing the work and add to the understanding of the meaning the work is
supposed to convey;
4. Give meaning to the artwork based on its description, analysis and context; and 5. Judge
the artwork as to whether it is good or bad based on the learner’s perception of it and its
aesthetic and cultural value.
Art is not meant to be looked at only for what it is. It is meant to stimulate
thought because it allows viewers to draw their own emotions and pull from their
personal experiences when viewed. It is very powerful in this way and it naturally develops
critical and innovative thinking skills. Art also teaches many important qualities such
as listening, observing and responding to multiple perspectives. Having an appreciation for art
also helps us to develop an appreciation for each other and how we are all unique in our own
way.
For many people, art is meant to express something that we ourselves feel unable to
express or convey. Through its visual medium it evokes feelings of joy, sadness, anger and
pain. That is why art appreciation is so important in bringing that one final element to complete
the work, and that is our interpretation. Our perspective brings the artwork to life as it changes
for every person around it. It is important to foster art appreciation and analysis, as it helps us
value the art in how it appeals to us and what it means to each person. It delves into the history
and the story behind the art, as well as a look into the lives of the artists. It enables one to
critically analyze a work, along lines of design, mastery and techniques. Most importantly,
however, art appreciation stimulates thought and analysis, provokes an individual to look past
what meets the eye and open our mind to the views of others. Art is here to stay. It is a person’s
history and legacy which is an ultimate proof that his personal experiences can be articulated
and his immortality can be defined. (https://www.educationworld.in/the-importance-of-artappreciation/)
Unit 2
Subject and Content
Unit 2 shall focus on helping students to answer questions by investigating the
subject of works of art. This will provide a guide for gathering clues embedded
in works of art, as well as an introduction to searching for the underlying meaning
and messages that are present in many works of art. Students will work, step by step,
through the layers of meaning, delving more deeply into these layers with each work
as they progress through the different lessons presented.
Learning Objectives:
By the end of this module, you should be able to:
1. Differentiate representational and non-representational art;
2. Discuss the difference between an artwork’s subject and
content; 3. Identify the subject matter and specific examples of
art;
4. Enumerate the sources of the subjects of some of the most recognizable works
of art
Lesson 1 - The Subject of An Artwork
The term subject in arts refers to the main idea that is represented in the
artwork. The subject in art is basically the essence of the piece. To determine subject
matter in a particular piece of art, one may be guided by the questions: What is
actually depicted in this artwork? What is the artist trying to express to the world...
What is his or her message? And how are they conveying that message?
In artwork, the subject matter would be what the artist has chosen to paint,
draw or sculpt. The subject matter or topic is entirely up to the artist. Art is really
liberating in that sense. It allows you to say whatever you want to say. Whether the
message is understood by others is another story, and whether the artist discloses the
meaning of it or not is also a personal choice. Some artists don't like to assign a strict
explanation of their art so that they are not imposing on the viewers own narrative
and concept of the work.
That allows it to be more reflective or interactive if you like. It is nice
to contemplate something without being told what it is. Of course there are some
symbols that are archetypal and commonly understood/interpreted by humanity in
the same way. Therefore symbols can be very powerful when trying to convey a
specific idea. Other times one doesn't have a fixed idea when creating. Sometimes if
I don't have a particular subject I just start to paint with no plan. It is a bit like
meditation because through that process I am outside myself viewing the process
remotely...or that is how I can best describe the experience anyway. I just let my
subconscious work away starting with patterns and letting the colors and shapes
suggest forms to me as I go and then the panting reveals itself to me. It is fun because
it is a surprise to me also.
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Some artworks have subjects and some do not. The art pieces which use a
specific subject is called representational art or objective art; while those that have
no subjects are called non-representational or non-objective art.
Representational art refers to art which represents something, whether that be
a tree in a landscape, apple in a still life, or figure in a portrait. Or in other words, it
is art which is clearly identifiable as something which already exists in life.
Representational art does not need to be a completely realistic depiction of the
subject; there
will
often be
varying levels of abstraction.
(https://drawpaintacademy.com/)
Representational Art is a term that generally refers to a painting or sculpture
that is clearly recognizable for what it claims to be. It references images such as a
human form or a tree, and although these images may not always be portrayed as true
to life in color or position, they are still recognizable to the viewer. Representational
Art depicts any identifiable object or series of objects and their physical appearance
in reality. It is also referred to as Figurative Art, being that it is derived from real
object sources. Oftentimes, representational artists act as observers, and interpret
what
they
see
in
their
own
way
through
their
work.
(https://www.debuckgallery.com/glossary/representational art/)
The following are some examples of representational art works:
Planting Rice by Fernando Amorsolo source: pinterest.com (google
images)
Apple Blossoms by Kristina Joy source: amazon.com (google
images)
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Non-representational or non-objective art, on the other hand, refers to
compositions which do not rely on representation or mimesis to any extent.
Abstract art, non figurative art, nonobjective art, and nonrepresentational art are
related terms that indicate a departure from reality in the depiction of imagery in art.
Meaning in nonrepresentational art is highly subjective and can be difficult to define.
We can focus on the elements of the artwork (form, shape, line, color, space, and
texture) in terms of the aesthetic value of the work, but the meaning will always be
personal to the viewer unless the artist has made a statement about his or her
intentions.
Generally, we can look at non-representational art as the personal expression
of an artist's subjective experience. Certain movements have described their
intentions as an aim to evoke moods or emotions in the viewer. (boundless.com)
Below are a few examples of non-representational art works:
Composition VII by Wassily Kandinski
Sources: en.wikipedia.org and
pinterest.com (google images)
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Activity
Directions: Identify whether the following is Representational or Non-representational Art. 1.
_____________________________
Source: essentialvermeer.com
2. ________________________
Source: artspace.com
3. _______________________
Source: learnodo-nuetonic.com
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4. ______________________
Source: courses.lumenlearning.com
5. ________________________
Source: wikipedia.com
6. _______________________
Source: art-is-fun.com
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7.
________________________
Source: pinterest.com
8.
______________________
Source: pinterest.com
9. _______________________
Source: emptyeasel.com
10.
_____________________
Source: craft-mart.com
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Lesson 2: The Sources of Subject
A learner, most of the time, may imagine as to where an artist gets his
inspiration from with regard to how he produces a certain masterpiece. It is
noteworthy to remember that artists are unique both in personal experiences and
human attributes hence their differences in the manner of creating art pieces or in
producing art works. As art is a way of man in expressing himself, an artist’s choice
of subject or the source of his inspiration only explains his inner world and his
personality in general. With thi, it is noteworthy to present the sources of artists’
inspiration in doing their works.
1. Nature. Nature, in the broadest sense, is equivalent to the natural world,
physical universe, material world or material universe. “Nature” refers to the
phenomena of the physical world, and also to life in general.”(wikipedia.com) It is
considered the most commonly used source of art.
Source:art-is-fun.com (google images) Source:princetonbar.com(google images)
2. People. They are considered the most interesting subject of an artwork which
may be real or imagined. An artist’s thoughts, moods and even the genre of a certain
art work may be depicted by people by means of clues as takeaways. People as
subjects may be presented as individuals or groups and may perform tasks as how
they do in their everyday life. Below are a few examples.
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source: thoughtco.com (google images) Source: bluethumb.com.au
3. History. It is the depiction of factual events that occured in the past whose purpose
is either to remember important events of long ago or to teach the learners about the
lessons of the past. Some of the examples of art works with history as source
of inspiration are as follows:
Bonifacio Monument by Guillermo Tolentino source:
bluedreamer27.com The Making of the Philippine Flag by Fernando
Amorsolo
Source: pinterest.com (google images)
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4. Legends. Artworks based on legends present to viewers of the art something
tangible even when unverified. Art brings life to these stories.
Si Malakas at si Maganda by Marcelo Chan source: pinterest.com
Lost Excalibur by Rashieq Sasman source: arstation.com
(google images)
5.Religion. Religion has played an enormous role in inspiring works of visual arts,
music, architecture and literature through ages. Artists used as inspiration the
religious texts as the Bible, Quran and Torah in conveying their ideas and beliefs
through their art works. It was also established that art is considered the handmaid of
religion.
The Hand of God by Auguste Rodin
source:bycommonconsent.com (google images)
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5. Mythology. These are sources of subjects that come from the stories of gods
and goddesses of Ancient Greece, Rome, Norse and Egyptians. These so called
deities of the mythological world depict present humanlike behaviours.
Medusa by Luciano Garbati source: qz.com Greek god by Pichiavo
source:thiscollosal.com (google images)
7.Dreams and Fantasy. The wonder of the unconscious is what is being expressed by art works
under this subject source. These works of art somehow explain to the viewers the content of the
art piece including the hidden meaning behind each work. The unconscious is being made to be
understood by this source of subject.
Artworks by Josephine Wall and Barbara Devlin source:pinterest.com
(google images)
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8. Technology. The modernity of the present is also an inspiration being used by artists as a source
of subject. The wondrous use of machines, the towering skyscrapers, state of the art robotics technology,
top of the line transportation machineries as cars, ships and motorcycles to name a few are sources of
subjects of interest under technology.
The WEEE Man Source: law_kevin/weburbanist.com Humanity Drowning in
Technology by Elizabeth Elkin
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Lesson 3: Ways of Presenting the Subject
After the artist has decided on the source of the subject of his artwork, he is now ready to
identify the method of how he wants his art work to be presented to his viewers. Their choice of
a method may depend upon his expertise, exposure to certain art pieces or simply of his personal
preferences. The following are some of the methods or ways on how an artist presents his subject
to his audience.
1.Naturalism. Naturalism in art refers to the depiction of realistic objects in a natural setting. The
Realist movement of the 19th century advocated naturalism in reaction to the stylized and
idealized depictions of subjects in Romanticism, but many painters have used a similar approach
over the centuries. Naturalism began in the early Renaissance, and developed itself further
throughout the Renaissance, such as with the Florentine School. Naturalism is a type of art that
pays attention to very accurate and precise details, and portrays things as they are. (source:
https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naturalism)
Artworks in naturalism always depict pieces showing the idealized human form. One
would immediately recognize that these images were imitated from the human form. Similar to
the superheroes of today’s comic books and films, these figures were made almost perfect to
imbue them with a greater degree of stature and significance worthy of superbeings. In this way,
the imagery did not focus on the specific attributes of an individual but on the more universal
characteristics of the human form as is accepted by the culture of the day. (Kissick, 1996)
Hay
Making by Jules Bastien-Lepage source: https://www.theartstory.org/
2.Realism. Realism in the arts is generally the attempt to represent subject matter truthfully,
without artificiality and avoiding speculative fiction and supernatural
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elements. Realism has been prevalent in the arts at many periods, and can be in large part a matter
of technique and training, and the avoidance of stylization. In the visual arts, illusionistic realism
is the accurate depiction of lifeforms, perspective, and the details of light and colour. But realist
or naturalist works of art may, as well or instead of illusionist realism, be "realist" in their subject
matter, and emphasize the mundane, ugly or sordid. ( https://en.wikipedia.org/)
Realism is the most popular way of presenting art subjects.
The
Stone Breakers by Gustave Courbet source: https://www.theartstory.org/
3.Abstraction. Abstraction finds its roots in ‘intuition’ (of the artist) and ‘freedom’ (for the artist
as well as for the viewer). It is the capability of the artist to use their imagination to look beyond
what we can physically see and translate intangible emotions onto the canvas. It is also the ability
of the audience to then try to connect to the artist’s intention and free their own mind of visual
restrictions. Historically, the abstract art movement emerged in the nineteenth century as a
reaction to academic painting or realism. In fact, a very simple way to understand the essence of
abstract art is to think of it as a visual opposite of realistic art. While realism pays attention to
every tiny fold or wrinkle, abstraction gives the artist the freedom to trust their intuition to create
art that is equally worthy of an audience. (https://www.art-mine.com/)
This is a method of presenting the subject where the artist moves away from reality. The
artist usually alters the shapes and colors in rendering a particular art piece. Abstraction may be
in these forms:
A. Distortion. Distortion is the alteration of the original shape (or other characteristic)
of something. In the art world, a distortion is any change made by an artist to the size, shape or
visual character of a form to express an idea, convey a feeling or enhance visual impact.
(https://en.wikipedia.org/)
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Art
pieces of Henrietta Harris source: https://usaartnews.com/
B.Elongation. Elongation is when the art subject is lengthened, protracted or
extended. (twitter.com)
High Aspirations by Ernie Barnes
C.Mangling. Artists show the subject as cut, lacerated, mutilated or hacked with
repeated blows.
The Weeping Woman by Pablo Picasso
( pablopicasso.org/ goggle images)
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D.Cubism. This is the presentation of abstract figures through the use of a cone,
cylinder, sphere, triangle, square, cube and circle in place of real pictorial
elements.
'Factory, Horta de Ebbo' by Pablo Picasso (https://www.artyfactory.com/)
4.Symbolism. This is the use of a visible sign of an idea to convey to the viewers, readers or
audiences the message of his work. In this way, mystery is advocated by an art work making it
more interesting to the viewers. The key to eliciting symbolic art involves studying the
background and personality of the artist and his inspiration in producing the said piece of work.
Mona Lisa by Da Vinci source: amazon.com
5.Fauvism. Fauvism is the name applied to the work produced by a group of artists (which
included Henri Matisse and André Derain) from around 1905 to 1910, which is characterised by
strong colours and fierce brushwork. The name les fauves (‘the wild beasts’) was coined by the
critic Louis Vauxcelles when he saw the work of Henri Matisse and André Derain in an exhibition,
the salon d’automne in Paris, in 1905. The paintings Derain and Matisse exhibited were the result
of a summer spent working together in Collioure in the South of France and were made using
bold, non-naturalistic colours (often applied directly from the tube), and wild loose dabs of paint.
The forms of
the subjects were also simplified making their work appear quite
abstract. (https://www.tate.org.uk/)
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source: artsy.net
6.Dadaism. Dadaism is a protest movement in the art that is playful and experimental. “Dada”
means a “hobby horse”. Dadaism is most often nonsensical. Marcel Duchamp is the famous
painter using this method. It is considered a revolt against tradition because it does not follow the
principles in art and shows the wickedness of society in its presentation. The aim of this method
is to shock and provoke its viewers.
Fountain by Duchamp source: magazine.artland.com
7.Futurism. This was developed in Italy about the same time as cubism appeared in France.
Futurist painters wanted their works to capture the mechanical energy of modern life.
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The Futuristic Art of NASA source: artsy.net
8.Surrealism. This method mirrors the evils of the present society. Surrealism means super
realism, influenced by Freudian psychology which emphasizes the activities of the subconscious
state of the mind. The art movement began in Paris in 1924 by the French poet Andre Breton. It
emphasized the activities of the subconscious mind mostly exemplifying violence and cruelty.
The surrealist’s aim is to reveal the deep and ugly part of human nature.
source: pinterest.com
9.Expressionism. This features art works describing pathos, morbidity, chaos or even
defeat and was introduced in Germany from 1900 – 1910. Expressionists believe that man needs
spiritual rebirth for him to correct defects that ruin the
society.
(Die Nacht) by Max Beckmann source: https://www.identifythisart.com
The Night
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