Mark as done

Lesson 1.2: The Assumptions of Art

The assumptions of art are the principles that hold the basis of appreciating art as a tool
for a man to communicate one’s individuality and way of living. There are three
assumptions of art namely: Art is universal, which means it is everywhere regardless of
country, region, community or society and it has no limitations. Hence, it was able to
continue to improve as it blends and develops with culture, races and civilizations; second,
art is not nature, which means that art is man-made and a product of a man’s talent,
creativity and skill. It is the representation of a man’s ideas, thoughts and imagination. It
cannot be compared to God’s creation for it will never be considered natural because art is
primarily realized and used in order to appreciate the wonders of life and the beauty of
God’s wondrous creations. A man is bound to numerous limitations. Obviously, a man is
capable of creating art but incapable of creating nature. It has to be established that
Nature is a product made by Divine Providence which is literally beyond human
understanding. Lastly, art involves experience, which means art is the act of doing
something (Dudely, 1960). There is a demand for a man to take part in the activity-
immersion.

Functions of Art

When we talk about the functions of art, we are referring to the practical usefulness,
impact and purpose towards people who created and appreciated it. There are five
functions identified in this topic. The first one is the personal function. This function
serves as the instrument for the expression of one’s feelings or ideas as it provides
comfort, happiness and convenience. The second one is the social function. The social
function of art is used for public displays and celebrations. This encourages a group of
people to work as one as a symbol of unity in celebrating specific events such as fiesta
wherein a group of performers are gathered to present cultural or traditional dances and
performances which basically reflects the community or civilization. The third one is the
cultural function. This function plays a role in preserving, sharing and transmitting the
culture or customs of a certain group of people from one generation to the other. The
fourth one is the aesthetic function. Aesthetic function, basically, stir awareness amongst
people about the beauty of nature. It allows individuals to notice nature’s beauty by
creating/manifesting selected subject through artworks. Lastly, spiritual function. This
function primarily uses art to reinforce with the use of symbols, statue and other forms
that depict beliefs or supports the religious culture. One example is the cross sign which is
famously recognized

Famous personalities expressed their philosophical perspective about art which has been
known since then. Anyone can manifest a personal perspective regarding a particular topic
or subject. This is relatively common amongst people and his/her way of seeing and
interpreting stimulus. According to Plato, “art is an imitation of the reality that was an
imitation of the ideal” also known as “Art as Mimesis”. Plato believes that “idea” is the
ultimate reality and that all art is an imitation of life. He used the “chair” as an example in
proving his claim. The idea about the chair came first in the mind of the carpenter. It was
later given an actual physical attribute with the use of wood and proceed to create a chair.
This implies that art is the re-presentation of nature and does not copy it. He also added
that every artistic creation is a form of imitation commencing from God which makes the
existing things gives an idea to a man which represents the ideal type. In addition, skilled
artist such as painter, musicians and performers are examples of imitators of imitation. On
the other hand, Aristotle argued that “the aim of art is to represent the inward significance
and not the actual or outward appearance”. It does not necessarily portray the exact
manifestation of the subject since it applies certain abstractions which means that it does
not depict the original features. In the artist’s point of view, there are certain level or degree
of representation that implies various meanings. Meaning basically depends on how the
artist elaborates with the use of a certain medium and how the audience perceives the
actual product. Immanuel Kant’s “art for art’s sake” perceives art as its own being. This
philosophy is closely associated with the importance of aesthetics. It argues that art
should only be recognized as to how materials are skillfully combined that creates
beautiful artwork. Hence, art has no obligation to inculcate moral messages or function as
means for social purposes. Art as an escape is believed to be a celebration of “doing or
creating” that dives deep into the core of an artist that influences him/her to a higher level
of transformations. It provides comfort and creates a world unknown to others yet
relatable to many. Lastly, art as functional for it offers usefulness in the course of
improving lives by making it known to mankind as it enriches the mind, educate the many,
promote development and offers limitless avenues for improvement.

Art has its categories and classifications. There are four categories namely: Visual
arts, Performing arts, Digital arts and applied arts. Each of these categories has its
classifications. Visual arts include painting, sculpture and architecture. The current usage
of the word visual arts can also be associated with fine arts. However, this was not always
the case. Prior to the Arts and Crafts movement in In Britain in the 20th century, artists were
often restricted only to a person who studies fine arts such as painting, sculpting or even
printmaking and exclude handicraft, craft and applied media. Obviously, these forms are
interrelated.

Performing arts is a term coined in the 1960s in the United States. It was referred to as a
non-traditional art form with a political or topical theme that features live performances
that involve sound, dance, songs and literature. It is rather an event than an artefact. The
futurists were famous for their attempt to revolutionize the culture including performance
such as poetry reading, playing of musical instruments and distilled dramatic
presentation. According to Golberg (2001) performance has been a way of appealing
directly to the large public as well as shocking audiences into reassessing their own
notions of art and its relation to culture. It can be performed only once or repeated several
times, with or without a prepared script, it can be spontaneous, improvised or rehearsed”.
Digital arts is known to produce output based on electronics and media technologies. This
basically pushes the boundaries of traditional and medium which can create an influential
voice that reflects the disposition of the society whether political, social and another
aspect of life. These days, the use of technologies in the production of art is very rampant.
Art media gained a vast platform in terms of conceptual strategies that assimilate changes
in the field of video art, photography, graphics, and paintings. These accessories of art
have been widespread and famously inculcated in society that brings great influence in
making life convenient and entertaining. There is no doubt that new media offers great
help and opens opportunities for people to expand intellectual and social aspects.

Applied arts focuses on fashion, furniture, interior and graphic designs. These
classifications are just a few of the different examples under the categories of art. Applied
art usually implies the importance of communicating ideas with functional purposes. One
good example of applied arts is those commercial arts that are usually contrasted with
Fine arts. It is a fact that there is a thin difference between the applied arts and fine arts
since both talks about design. Applied arts focus on its practical usefulness while fine arts
also focuses on aesthetics. But we should not hide the fact that there are some aspects
that best applies in both.

Applied arts can also be described in many different things. It can be a study of the
creative aspect of an individual, a process of using skills, a product of the creative skill, or
the expertise of the experience of the audience with the creative skill. The products can be
described and/or defined by their purpose and limitless interpretation of concepts or ideas
in order to convey a specific craft. Just like any forms of art, applied art is something that
can stimulate the mind, thoughts, creativity, ideas, emotions, and even beliefs prior to
producing an output. Why? Applied art is a special kind of knowledge that gives insight
into the human condition since it also falls into a practical and useful kind of artwork.
Studying applied art is very significant not only for art students but also for the people who
are interested in enhancing the quality of their personal life. It provides balance, develops
appropriate attitude and patience, provides opportunities for career exploration,
understands how different technology works and provide learning to students prior to
transitioning from the world of school to the world of work.