Functions of arts

1. Functions and Philosophical
Perspectives of Art

2. 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.

3. Functions of Art

4. Function
• Different artwork come with
distinctive functions
• There is no one-to-one
correspondence between an art and
its function

5. Classification of Functions of Art
1. Personal (public display, expression)
2. Social (celebration, to affect collective behavior)
3. Physical (utilitarian)

6. 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

7. 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)

8. 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)

9. Other Functions of Art

10. 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.

11. Sculpture as a Function
• Commonly used particularly for
religion.
• Used to commemorate important
figures in history.

12. 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.

13. Does Art Always Have to
be Functional?

14. 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.