Course Code GEC 4

Course Title Art Appreciation

Module Number 2
Module Title Understanding Art
Lesson Number 1
Lesson Title Functions and Philosophical Perspective of Arts and
Week Number & Dates Week 2, January 23-27, 2023

LEARNING OUTCOMES

At the end of this lesson, the learner should be able to:

a. Understand the functions of art for the individual as well how it is significant cultures and
societies; and
b. Explain and discuss some of the key philosophical perspectives on art.

LEARNING ACTIVITIES AND RESOURCES

Reading Analysis on the topic:

Engage, Groupings, Share

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 INTRODUCTION AND VALUES INTEGRATION

When we look around, we see a lot of things that relate to art. Art can come in the form
of many items such as posters, paintings, portraits, covers, and more. People look at art in
different ideas that they want to know more about or may be studying. Art can show ideas
about the past, what is currently happening and what may happen in the future. It can also
show meaning, love, boredom, and creativity (Ramos, 2012). Art can be meaningful because
of the colors, shapes, and depictions it can create.
Art Appreciation is a way to motivate ideas and allows individuals to illustrate their
feelings when they viewed an artwork. It helps develops critical and innovative skills in
thinking and teaches essential qualities in listening, observing, and responding to multiple
viewpoints. It also requires an ability to differentiate what is apparent and what is not.

BODY

WHAT IS ART?
Art can be 2-dimensional, like paintings, drawings and prints.
Art can be 3-dimensional, like sculptures and ceramics.
Art can be 4-dimensional, utilizing time as an intrinsic element, such as in performance art,
kinetic art, video art and sound art.
We find it in museums and art galleries.
But we find it, also, in the streets, fields and caves.
WHAT IMAGES COME TO MIND WHEN YOU THINK OF AN ARTIST?
The solitary genius?
The painter of dreams?
The starving artist?
Many of our ideas about artists come from modernism of the 20th Century, when artists began
working more independently, creating works of art that were personal or expressive in nature.

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But at other moments in history, artists have been considered much as more as craftsmen, skilled
with their hands.
WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF ART?
Art may be a classical masterpiece showing heroic, ideal beauty.
Art may be an object, chosen by an artist, and placed in a new context.
Art may be sat upon.
Art may be gazed upon.
Art may be eaten.
It may be up.
It may be down.
It may be quiet.
It may be riotous.
Or holy.
Art express the culture in which it is produced.
It demonstrates the ways that our ideals of beauty change over time.
And art helps define our beauty within our own time.
Art helps us to see the world around us.
And art expresses our deep beliefs.
Art tells our story.
Art changes over time.
The way we, the viewer, approach art changes over time, too.

FUNCTIONS OF ART
From the very beginning, arts have been part of human history. It described, defined, and
deepened the human experience. In the Prehistoric period for example, peoples performed songs
and dances to gratify their ancestors. Likewise, hunters brushed different figures on the walls of
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caves to depict their day-to-day experiences. Arts also serve several functions which are item
outcome to its purpose.

1. INDIVIDUAL FUNCTION
The artists perform arts because of the passion of their respective artforms. A singer presents
a concert for free because of his advocacy and the love of singing. For example, Regine
Velasquez (Asia’s Songbird) is wellknown for possessing extensive vocal range.
2. SOCIAL FUNCTION
Man associates with others through his art performance that arouses social consciousness.
Examples of this association are the choral singing, group dancing, public art exhibits and
other practices.
3. ECONOMIC FUNCTIONS
Arts are emerging as a potent force in the economic life of people assumes an essential role
as a direct and indirect contributor to state economies. Example of this is by generating
economic vitality in underperforming regions through crafts, tourism, and cultural
attractions.
4. POLITICAL FUNCTIONS
Art provides a forum for ideas that will lead to employment, prestige, status, and power.
During election period, for example, the candidates created their artworks (poster) which
expresses their propaganda, agendas and political views about making a stable society.

5. HISTORICAL OF EDUCATIONAL FUNCTIONS

Art is an essential technique for information to be recorded and preserved. It serves to
document or reconstruct historical figure and events. Most arts that are in Museums, for
example, are filled with amazing stories about the world most excellent and most creative
people who brought us the treasures. By looking at a work of art’s colors, materials, and
symbolism, we can learn about the story and culture that produced it in the past.

6. CULTURAL OR SPIRITUAL FUNCTIONS

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Art is an articulation and transmission of new information and values. Example, when you
think of Manila, you probably think of Fort Santiago, Luneta Park, and its world-renowned
churches, or the famous Intramuros.

7. PHYSICAL FUNCTIONS
Buildings are artistically designed and constructed to protect their occupants and make their
life inside more meaningful. Architects, Industrial and Graphic Designers, and Interior
Decorators share responsibility in building environment that balance forms and functions.

8. AESTHETHIC FUNCTIONS
Any artwork means beauty. It is visual spice for gracefully adorned interiors and can bring
out the most elegant features of different décor elements. It reasonably reproduced visual
images which communicate through fantastic persuasions and meaningful words.

PHILOSOPHICAL PERSPECTIVES ON ART

ART AS AN IMITATION
In Plato’s The Republic, paints a picture of artists as imitators and art as mere imitation.
In his description of the ideal republic, Plato advices against the inclusion of art as a subject
in the curriculum and the banning of artists in the Republic.
In Plato’s metaphysics or view of reality, the things i this world are only copies of the
original, the eternal, and the true entities that can only be found in the World of Forms.
For example, the chair that one sits on is not a real chair. It is an imperfect copy of the perfect
“chair” in the World of Forms.
Plato was deeply suspicious of arts and artists for two reasons.
1. They appeal to the motion rather to the rational faculty of men.
2. They imitate rather than lead one to reality.
Poetry rouses emotions and feelings and thus, clouds rationality of people.

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 Art is just an imitation of imitation. A painting is just an imitation of nature, which is also an
imitation of reality in the World of Forms.

ART AS A REPRESENTATION
Aristotle agreed with Plato that art is a form of imitation.
However, Aristotle considered art as an aid to philosophy in revealing the truth,
The kind of imitation that art does not antithetical to the reaching of fundamental truths in the
world.

ART AS A DISINTERESTED JUDGEMENT

Immanuel Kant in his, Critique of Judgement, consider the judgement of beauty, the
cornerstone of art, as something that can be universal despite its subjectivity.
Kant recognized that judgement of beauty is sujective.
However, even subjective judgements are based on some universal criterion for the said
judgement.
ART AS A DISINTERESTED JUDGEMENT
According to Leo Tolstoy, arts plays a huge role in communication to its audience’s
emotions that artist previously experience.
In the same that language communicates information to other people, art communicates
emotions.
As a purveyor of a man’s innermost feelings and thoughts, art is given a unique opportunity
to serve as a mechanism for social unity.
Art is central to man’s existence because it makes accessible feelings and emotions of people
from past and present.

Activity 1: Read

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RH D A
ead, ighlight, efine, nswer

1. Read the functions and philosophical perspective of arts.

2. Highlight the words which you don’t understand yet or which struck you most.
3. Define or describe the words using any dictionary or the context of the text.
4. Answer the following 5 questions: What are the facts and pieces of evidence presented?
What are your assumptions? What are your new concepts and points of view?

Activity 2
Groupings and Share
Get in touch with your groupmates and share your answers and reflections. You may
share any insight which emerged during your RHDA moment. You may share via telephone or
any mode of communication. You may write a note highlighting your learning and give it to
your classmate.

Activity 4: Respond
As you understand the functions and philosophical perspective of arts, answer
the question below.

Critical Thinking Corner:

1. How would you react to Leo Tolstoy’s perspective that art is a communication of
emotion?
SUMMARY/CONCLUSION

The purpose and function of art, as well as the definition of art, keep changing. In
general, the purpose and function of art are often dictated by those in power as art is often used
to change people’s minds about certain political, societal, cultural, and emotional phenomena.
This means that there is not one purpose of art that can be applied universally, but that art’s
function changes from period to period and artist to artist.

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 Art is important to humans in the same way that language is important. Besides the fact
that it gives us a different way of communicating, it is also something humans have just done for
ages. There is not one reason why art is important, but the fact that we have always made it
shows that humans are indistinguishable from art.

REFERENCES

Prepared by: Roland Robles

Assistant Professor 1

Checked by: Jamaica Duldulao

GE Coordinator

Noted by: Mayet Agustin

Dean

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