The meaning and importance of art

1. ART
APPRECIATION
Prepared by:
VINCE GORDON W. ABIO, LPT

2. THE MEANING AND
IMPORTANCE OF ART

3. THE NATURE OF ART
Art has been defined in various ways.
Art is derived from the Latin word ars,
meaning “ability or skill.” – J.V. Estolas
Art is taken from the Italian word artis, which
means craftsmanship, skill, mastery of form,
inventiveness, and the associations that exist
between form and ideas, between material
and technique. – A. Tan

4. Art is a product of man’s need to express
himself. – F. Zulueta
Art is concerned with the communication of
certain ideas and feelings by means of
sensuous medium, color, sound, bronze,
marble, words, and film. – C. Sanchez
Art is that which brings life in harmony with
the beauty of the world. – Plato

5. Art is an attitude of spirit, a state of mind – one
which demands for its own satisfaction and
fulfilling, a shaping of matter to new and more
significant form. – John Dewey
Art is the skilful arrangement or composition of
some common but significant qualities of nature
such as colors, sounds, lines, movements,
words, stones, wood, etc., to express human
feelings, emotions, or thoughts in a perfect
meaningful and enjoyable way. – Panizo and
Rustia

6. 4 common essentials of arts
1. art must be man-made
2. art must be creative, not imitative
3. art must benefit and satisfy man and man
must make use of art in practical terms
4. art is expressed through a certain medium
or material by which the artist
communicates himself to his fellows.

7. Art has a particular importance in our lives. All
the art that we see and hear have a purpose.
We communicate through paintings, songs,
dances, and dramatic plays.
We build monuments to remind us of the
heroic deeds of great men.
Artworks are also valuable sources of
inspiration.
We are delighted by the books we read.
Moved by the music we hear.

8. Paintings, sculptures, and plays capture our
attention and critical thinking.
Modern architectural designs inspire us to
plan and construct our houses beautifully.
Through an artist’s work, we get a glimpse of
the thoughts, feelings, and beliefs of the
people who lived in the period the artwork
was produced and the external factors that
influenced the artwork.

9. This explains why the arts are called
humanities. It brings out the good and the
noble in us.
Art Appreciation is the ability to interpret
or understand man-made arts and enjoy
them either through actual and work-
experience with art tools and materials or
possession of these works of art for one’s
admiration and satisfaction.

10. THE SUBJECT OF ART
In any art form – painting, music, sculpture,
architecture, or dance – there is always a
subject that serves as the foundation of the
creation of the work of art.
A subject of art is usually anything that is
represented in the artwork.
The subject of art is varied.
– It may be a person, object, scene, or event.

11. Artworks that depict something easily
recognized by most people are called
representational or objective arts.
- graphic arts, literature, and
theatre
- Painting, sculpture, music and
dance

12. Artworks that have no resemblance to any
real subject are called non-
representational or non-objective
arts.
- They do not represent anything and
they are what they are.
- They rather appeal directly to the
senses primarily because of the
satisfying organization of their
elements.

13. THE FUNCTION OF ART
■ Architecture is directly and almost entirely
functional because buildings and other
structures are always built for some special
purposes.
■ Music and dance were used in ancient rituals
and worship of the gods, for social and folk
entertainment, as well in the military.

14. ■ Paintings and sculpture may be used to
narrate events, to portray people or events, to
commemorate individuals or historical events,
and to serve as vehicle for personal
expression.
■ Metal works such as gates, grills, lamps,
armor, weapons, and tools, ceramics,
glassware, stained glass, mosaic, tilework,
textile, and furniture are among the many
types of arts or crafts.

15. 4 main functions of art
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.

16. 2. Utilitarian function
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.
Improves nature through landscape gardening,
creation of super-highways, and through
propagation and conservation – of natural
resources.

17. 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/her cultural background,
making him/her more knowledgeable and
his/her life more enduring and satisfying.

18. 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.

19. THE SCOPE OF ART
Various authors classify arts in different ways.
MANAOIS
2 general dimension of arts
1. Fine arts or independent arts or aesthetic arts
– Are made primarily for aesthetic enjoyment through
the senses, especially visual and auditory.
– Are music, painting, sculpture, architecture, literature,
dance and drama.

20. 2. Practical arts or useful arts or utilitarian arts
– Are intended for practical uses.
– It is the development of raw materials for
utilitarian purposes.
– Are industrial art, applied or household art,
civic art, commercial art, agricultural art,
business art, distributive art, and fishery art.

21. CUSTODIOSA SANCHEZ (2002)
– Are consist of visual arts, literature,
drama and theatre, music, and
dance.
– Visual arts are those that we
perceive with our eyes.

22. – Classified into 2 groups:
1. Graphic arts
- painting, drawing, photography, graphic
process (printing), commercial art
(designing of books, advertisement,
signs, posters, and other displays), and
mechanical process, in which portrayals
of forms and symbols are recorded on a
two-dimensional surface.

23. – Classified into 2 groups:
2. Plastic arts
- include all fields of visual arts for which
materials are organized into three-
dimensional forms such as structural
architecture, landscape architecture (garden,
parks, playgrounds, golf course
beautification), city physical planning and
interior arranging (design of wallpaper,
furniture), sculpture, crafts, industrial design,
dress and costume design, and threatre
design.

24. JOSEFINA ESTOLAS (1995)
– Grouped arts into major and minor arts.
– Major arts include painting, architecture,
sculpture, literature, music, and dance.
– Minor arts include the decorative arts
popular arts, graphic arts, plastic arts,
and industrial arts.

25. – Also grouped arts into: visual arts (graphic
arts, plastic arts); performing arts (theatre,
play, dance, music); literary arts (short story,
novel, poetry, drama); popular arts (film,
newspaper, magazine, radio, television);
gustatory arts of the cuisine (food
preparation, beverage preparation); and
decorative arts or applied arts
(beautification of houses, offices, cars, and
other structure).

26. PANIZO and RUSTIA (1995)
– Classified arts into 2 major divisions
1. According to purpose
5 categories
1. Practical arts or useful arts
■ Are directed to produce artifacts and utensils
for the satisfaction of human needs.
■ Examples: handicrafts (basket weaving, mat
weaving, etc.), embroidery, ceramics, iron and
metal crafts, and tin can manufacturing.

27. 1. According to purpose
5 categories
2. Liberal arts
■ Are directed toward intellectual growth, such as in
the study of philosophy, psychology, literature,
mathematics, and sciences.
3. Fine arts
■ Focused towards creative activity for the
contemplation of mind and upliftment of the spirit.
■ Examples: painting, sculpture, and architecture.

28. 1. According to purpose
5 categories
4. Major arts
■ Characterized by actual and potential
expressiveness.
■ Examples: music, poetry, and sculpture.
5. Minor arts
■ Concerned with practical uses and
purposes.
■ Examples: interior decoration and
porcelain.

29. 2. According to media and forms
■ 5 types
1. Plastic arts
■ Are works which exist in a physical space
and perceived by the sense.
■ Examples: sculpture and decorative
materials.
2. Phonetic arts
■ Utilizes sounds and words as medium of
expression.
■ Examples: music, drama, and literature

30. 2. According to media and forms
■ 5 types
3. Kinetic arts
■ Involve the element of rhythm.
■ Example: dance
4. Pure arts
■ Take only one medium of expression.
■ Examples: sound in music and color in painting.
5. Mixed arts
■ Take more than one medium.
■ Example: opera which combines music, poetry, and
drama.

31. THE ORIGIN OF ART
Art is viewed as a reflection of creativity,
integrity, and inventiveness within a culture.
The history of art began with that of
humanity.
Art dates back to the time when
superstitions and belief in the spirits are still
very common in every culture.

32. Indigenous art in the form of dancing, painting,
music, and poetry accompanied ancient rituals
and ceremonies.
Men and women of the early times perform
dances to entertain, to worship their gods and
goddesses, or to invoke success and blessings.
Their music and poetry chronicles the life and
works of their ancestors as well as legendary
origins of heroes, heroines, and gods.

33. Tribalist cultures often wore body paintings
during ceremonies.
Cave paintings and drawings are believed or
reflect ancient religious beliefs and visions.
Artworks made from the more durable materials
like metal, stone, clay, bone and glass survive
longer than those made from materials that are
more prone to decay like wood.