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Unit 6 part 1
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What is Art?
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Media and Culture
o Art and Religion
o Using the media
o Locating art
o Assessing the effects of
television
o Art and individuality
o Representation of art and
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culture
Art and communication
Art and politics
The cultural transmission
of the arts
The artistic career
Continuity and change
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Sports and Culture
o Football
o What determines
international sports
success?
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What is art to you?
Is art the same to
everyone?
Is there a such a thing
as a universal
standard to art?
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Art and Religion have similar
issues when discussing
o Both have definitions of
“extraordinary”
o Both will distinguish between art
and ordinary
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If we treat religion in a special
way, should we do the same with
art?
What makes art different from
ordinary?
o Jacques Maquet: Something that
stimulates and sustains
contemplation; compels attention
and reflection. Stresses the
importance of the object’s form in
producing artistic contemplation
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Art: includes visual arts, literature (written and oral), music, and
performance art
o Art is sometimes called expressive culture
• Dance, music, painting, sculpture, pottery, cloth, stories, drama, comedy, etc.
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Many cultures lack a term that can be translated to “art” but all cultures
associate an aesthetic pleasure and experience from similar things
o Aesthetic: appreciation of qualities perceived in art
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Art and religion
are usually tied
together
Art can be
displayed in
public places
making places
special – just
like religion
What are some
other ways art
and religion are
similar?
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Is art only art when it’s put in a special place?
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We tend to use special critics to tell us what is art and what
is not
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http://channelawesome.com/renegade-cut-citizen-kane/
https://youtu.be/Xrp0zJZu0a4
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Are video games art?
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Should art and the individual be automatically tied?
How important is it for an artist to be given credit for his work?
o Many non-western countries focus on social nature and context for art,
not the individual
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To what extent can a work of art stand apart from its artist?
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Is art a form of expressive
freedom or work?
o The word opera is a play on
the word opus which means
a work
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For artists, art is work
o Non-state societies, artists
must find time for basic
survival and art
o State societies see artists as
specialists
• Most are part-time
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How much work is art?
When is art completed?
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Art has existed for more than 70,000 years
o
o
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First cave drawings in Blombos Cave in South Africa
Europe had cave paintings going back about 30,000 years ago
Portable music instruments also show evidence of art and music
Art is for more than the artists – it is evaluated, exhibited, and performed for society
o
Art is for the spectators and the audience, not just the artist
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Ethnomusicology –
comparative study of the
musics of the world as an
aspect of culture and
society
o Study and analysis of music
itself and instruments used
to create it
o Music as a way to explore
culture, determine the role –
historic and contemporary –
that music plays in society,
and the specific cultural
features that influence how
music is created and
performed.
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In today’s world, musical
styles are mixed together
into World Music or World
Fusion
Music is considered a
cultural universal
o Musical abilities seem to run
in families
• Maybe a music gene
• Most mothers around
the world sing to their
children in a similar way
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Music is the most social
of the arts
o Usually puts people in
groups
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Folk music – of the
people, i.e. the at, music,
and lore or ordinary
people
o Originally came from
European peasants
o Contrast with the “high” or
“elite” culture of European
elites
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Art is a form of communication between artist and
community
There are some intermediaries
o Actors translate works an ideas from other artists into performance
for the audience to appreciate
o Musicians play and sing compositions of other people along with
music they have composed
o Choreographers use music written by others to plan and direct
patterns of dance
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What is art’s social role? What extent should art serve society?
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Many art that shocks and offends in its time becomes accepted
and valued later
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Artists are seen as aloof from society, creating art for themselves
and elites that makes fun of ordinary people.
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Art can convey several messages.
o It can teach lessons the artist or society wants
o Can lead to catharsis – intense emotional release
o Most art is meant to create an enduring message
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What role does the artist’s intent play in a work of art?
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Appreciation of art depends on cultural background
Art is part of enculturation as well as formal education
What is aesthetically pleasing is based on culture
Different cultures begin their teaching of the arts at
different ages
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In some societies children
are born into family lines
that require art as a career
Other societies view art as
a calling
o They discover they have a
certain talent
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Artists must have some
kind of support in order to
succeed
o Family or other patrons
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Arts are considered neither
practical nor ordinary,
relying on talent
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Art changes over time and some stay the same
Some art survives (Greek plays and cave paintings) while
other goes away
The idea of traditional vs. change
Combinations from different cultures
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Mass culture (also called
popular culture) spreads
much quicker than
before
Give a framework of
common experiences to
a culture
Media messages can be
analyzed for their nature,
symbolism, and effects
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Media consumers select, evaluate, and interpret media in way
that make sense to them
Popular culture can be used to express discontent and resistance
by groups who feel powerless or oppressed
Parents will pick messages that reinforce their own opinions and
life choices
Media gives connection to a wider world – real or imaginary
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How do sports and media reflect culture?
How does sports and media influence culture?
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Huge spectator sport with
millions of fans
Popularity based on mass
media, especially television
Is football popular because
Americans are violent?
o No…just a popular American
past time
o Features key aspects of
American life
• Teamwork
• Based on specialization and
division of labor
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Sports travel well across
countries
o Baseball popular in Japan
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Why do certain countries excel at sports?
Cultural values, social forces, and the media influence
international sports success
Media can heighten interest in all kinds of sports
o In US, Super Bowl is a national event.
o The Olympics get extensive coverage
o The World Cup is the only sports event that consistently draws huge
national audiences in Brazil
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In Brazil, outstanding athletes represent Brazilians the
same way Congress represents the US
A win by a Brazilian team or individual is thought to brig
respect to the whole nation
o The media is very intolerant of losers
• Brazil has fewer athletes than US so a single one has to summarize the
entire country’s hopes
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Some factors that contribute to
sports success is ascribed or
achieved status
o Can’t do much about ascribed
status, you can change achieved
status
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In US, success comes through
achievement – what you do
In Brazil, it comes from being,
not doing
o Identity rests on where you are
from (social class) and extended
family
o Rules are not uniform across
social classes
o Victories and sports are for the
privileged few