Subject and ways of presenting art

Art subject
Refers to what the work represents. It could be a
person, an object, a scene or an event. Some artworks
have subject others do not.
Representational or objective arts
Non- Representational or non - objective arts

Non objective arts
 Do not present descriptions, stories or references to
identifiable objects of symbols.
 They appeal directly to the senses primarily because of
the organization of their expressive elements.
 Most contemporary painters and sculptors have opted
for non-objective art. They have shifted their attention
to the work of as an object in itself, an exciting
combination of shapes and colors that fulfills the
aesthetic need without having to represent an image
or tell a story.

objective arts
 Artist of objective art can choose any object that
inspires them for their art. Their choices are virtually
unlimited. Some may focus on different objects of the
same theme while others may work on whatever
inspire them at the moment.

Sources of subject
 Art is human expressions and the artists’ choice of
subject are clues to their inner world which tells
viewers how their art should be interpreted.
 All artist are individuals with unique personalities and
unique experience.

Sources of artist inspiration
 NATURE
 PEOPLE
 HISTORY
 LEGENDS
 RELIGION
 Mythology
 Dreams and fantasy
 technology

Ways of presenting the subject
 Naturalism
 Realism
 ABSTRACTION(Distortion, Elongation, Mangling, cubism)
 SYMBOLISM
 FAUVISM
 DADAISM
 FUTURISM
 SURREALISM
 EXPRESSIONALISM

NATURE
MOST POPULAR SOURCE OF OBJECTIVE ART.
Mountains
Trees
Animals
Landscapes
Seascapes
cloudscapes

people
Human subjects, whether real or imagined,
are the most interesting. How people are
depicted can offer clues to the artists’
thoughts, moods, and the genre the art work
is presenting. Works can range from a single
subject to a group. They can be in perpetual
pose or performing tasks of everyday life.

history
 Historical art works depict real events which
are verifiable facts that occurred in the past.
The purpose of such works are either to
commemorate events or to teach history to
the viewers.

legends
Artworks based on legends present to
viewers of the art something tangible
even when unverified. Art brings ‘life’
to these stories.

religion
 These artworks are based on the sacred texts:
 The holy bible of Christianity.
 The Quran of Islam.
 And the Torah of Judaism.
 Many artworks used the beautiful stories in these
sacred texts to convey their beliefs.
 It was said that art is the handmaid of religion.

mythology
 Artworks can also be based on the stories of gods and
goddesses of Ancient Greece, Rome, Celts, Norse and
the Egyptians. These are depicted in human or animal
forms and present humanlike behavior.

Dreams and fantasy
 The intrigue of the unconscious also inspires artist to
present it through art for others to see, relate and
interpret. Artist believe that the content of the
unconscious should be shared for others

technology
 The modern era with its tall buildings and amazing
machines are also subject matter for the artist.
Cityscapes, airplanes, cars, ships, motorcycles, and
robotic technology are objects of interest.

Ways of presenting subject
 The artists after setting their minds on their inspiration
or source of subject the decide on how it is to be
presented as an art form. Their choice of presentation
may be just like how the masters do it or they may
experiment and develop their own style to best convey to
their viewers the message that they wanted to impart.

naturalism
 refer to any artwork which attempts to render the
reality of its subject-matter without concern for the
constraints of convention, or for notions of the
'beautiful’. It has also been used to refer to a movement
within painting - initially seen to be based in France,
but whose origins and legacies were latterly found to
extend all over the world - which attempted to depict
the human subject in its formative relationships with
natural habitats and social milieus, with a visual
accuracy approaching that of photography

realism
 This depicts the artist attempt of portraying the
subject as it is, Realist try to be as objective as possible
in their presentation. A work of art is realistic when
the presentation and organization of details in the
work seem so real, just like a photograph. Realism is
the most popular way of presenting art subject

abstraction
 Abstract means “ to move away or to separate from.”
Abstraction as subject presentation moves away from
reality, from presenting the subject as it really is. It
involves the process of simplifying or reorganizing
characteristics and elements of the work to adhere the
artists level of artistic expression. The artist usually
selects and renders the subject with its shape, and
colored altered.

distortion
 This form of abstraction results when the figures have
been so arranged that its proportions differ
significantly from reality. This is manifested when the
subject is misshapen or twisted out. This is done to
dramatize the shape of a figure or to create a dramatic/
emotional effect.

elongation
 In this type of abstraction, the subject is stretched
vertically and/ or some parts lengthened to give the
impression of thinness.

mangling
 This may not be so common in paintings but may be
popular in other art forms (sculpture, theatre, and
film). Artist show subject as cut, lacerated, mutilated
or hacked with repeated blows.

cubism
 Abstract form is presented through the use of figures:
a cone, cylinder, sphere, triangle, cube and circle in
place of real pictorial elements. The Cubist want to
show forms in their basic geometrical shapes.

symbolism
 A symbol is defined as visible such as an idea or
quality. Symbols in art draws the viewers attention to
what other message the artist may be trying to convey
aside from what is obviously observed. This adds a
mysterious quality to the artwork that invites viewers
to uncover. The key to deciphering symbolic art
involves studying the background and personality of
the artist and his relationship to the societal period
that inspired the symbolism ingrained in his art. What
makes Da Vinci’s Mona Lisa, the most popular
painting in the world?

fauvism
 This subject presentation began in France, and was the
first organized movement in painting of the 1900’s.
Henri Matisse was the leader of this group. Fauvism
literally means wild beasts.
 a group of early 20th-century modern artists whose
works emphasized painterly qualities and strong color
over the representational or realistic values retained

dadaism
 Dada is French for hobby horse. This is an art
movement that doesn’t follow the traditions and
principles in art. It is a revolt against tradition and
aims to show the wickedness of society. Dadaists tried
to shock and provoked the public with outrageous
pieces of writing, poetry recitals and art exhibits.

futurism
 This is art movement began in Italy. Artist of this
movement wanted their works to capture the speed
and force of the modern industrial society. Their
paintings and sculptures highlight the technologies of
modern life.

surrealism
 Surrealism is an invented word for super realism. The
art movement began in Paris in 1924 by the French
poet Andre Breton. It emphasized the activities of the
subconscious mind. Subjects in this kind of
presentation attempt to show man’s inner mind and
how he may perceive his outside world.

expressionism
 This art movement occurred during the first decade of
20th century in Germany where this art style was
introduced. Expressionists believe that man needs
spiritual rebirth for him to correct the defects that ruin
the society. This style of art depicts the emotions
aroused by objects and events. Subjects presented
involve chaos, sadness, tragedy and defeat.

Subject and ways of presenting art

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