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ARTS 1100 Module 1 What Is Art Introduction and Assumptions
ARTS 1100 Module 1 What Is Art Introduction and Assumptions
Module 1
What is Art?
Introduction and Assumptions
I. Objectives
II. Discussion
ART: An Introduction
Someone once said that art is a lot like love – incomprehensible, profound
and complex. It is not always easy to figure out. An individual won’t easily
understand art at first encounter.
ARTS 1100 (Art Appreciation)
Here are various definitions or notions of art, from various writers and
artists:
2. “Art is the most intense mode of individualism that the world has
known.” - Oscar Wilde in The Soul of Man Under Socialism
3.“Art enables us to find ourselves and lose ourselves at the same time.”
- Thomas Merton in No Man Is An Island
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ARTS 1100 (Art Appreciation)
4. “Above all, artists must not be only in art galleries or museums — they
must be present in all possible activities. The artist must be the sponsor of
thought in whatever endeavor people take on, at every level.”
- Michelangelo Pistoletto in Art’s Responsibility
WHAT IS ART?
(With excerpts from Art Appreciation by Caslib Jr., B., Garing, D. C., & Casaul, J. R., 2018,
p.2-8)
Art is all around us. Some people may think or say that they are not
engaged into the field of arts but it is certain that encounters in art are inevitable.
A student who puts his earphones on and listens to the Kpop playlist stored in
her phone while walking through the nooks of CLSU is already immersing
herself in the arts. A business executive who flicks through the channels of her
television and looks for the perfect TV show to cap off the night or a mother who
chooses from her closet the best clothes to wear to go to the market is already
engaging in the arts. Some may not be aware of it but they are already
experiencing or have already experienced the beauty of art. Then again,
art is everywhere and it comes in many different forms.
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ARTS 1100 (Art Appreciation)
In spite seeing art in almost every corner of the world, it seems as though
it is still not enough. People want to see, hear, feel and experience art. This is
probably the reason why people keep producing art.
There is always that yearning to see things that are of great beauty and
quality. After all, it is human nature to be attracted towards objects that are noble
and lovely.
For man to stay alive, he has used his tools and materials to change his
surroundings. He built houses and other structures using his bare hands. He
assembled wooden chairs and tables to support his needs. He utilized fire to
soften metals to create other objects. He found ways to make knives sharper.
These actions were for man’s necessities. The earliest definitions of art have
something to do with these types of craft.
● The word “art” comes from the ancient Latin ars which means a “craft or
specialized form of skill, like carpentry or smithying or surgery”
(Collingwood, 1938 as cited in Caslib et. al., 2018).
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ARTS 1100 (Art Appreciation)
RENAISSANCE PERIOD
● It was only during the Renaissance Period that the word reacquired a
meaning that was inherent in its ancient form of craft. Early renaissance
artists saw their activities merely as craftsmanship, devoid of a whole lot
of intonations that are attached to the word now.
SEVENTEENTH CENTURY
● It was during the seventeenth century when the problem and idea of
aesthetics, the study of beauty, began to unfold distinctly from the notion
of technical workmanship, which was the original conception of the word
“art”.
EIGHTEENTH CENTURY
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ARTS 1100 (Art Appreciation)
● It was finally in the eighteenth century when the word has evolved to
distinguish between the fine arts and the useful arts.
● The fine arts would come to mean “not delicate or highly skilled arts, but
‘beautiful’ arts” (Collingwood, 1938 as cited in Caslib et. al., 2018). This is
something more akin to what is now considered art.
ASSUMPTIONS OF ART
1. ART IS UNIVERSAL
● Art has always been timeless and universal, spanning generations and
continents through and through.
● In every country and generation, there is always art.
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It takes an artist to make art. Not every beautiful thing that can be seen or
experienced may truly be called a work of art. Art is a product of man’s
creativity, imagination, and expression.
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A creative artist does not simply copy or imitate another artist’s work. He
embraces ORIGINALITY, puts his own flavor into his work and calls it his own
creative piece.
III. Assessment
ACTIVITY
1. What was the last movie or song that you have come across with or have
made the most impact to you? In not more than 250 words, critique the said
movie or song using the following guide questions:
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ARTS 1100 (Art Appreciation)
2. From the various definitions of art given, create your own definition of
art. How would you define art? For you, what is art? Please answer in NOT
more than 7 sentences.
NO PLAGIARISM, please.
1. “What is Art?”
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QZQyV9BB50E
References:
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ARTS 1100 (Art Appreciation)
Caslib Jr., B., Garing, D. C., & Casaul, J. R. (2018). Art Appreciation. Manila: Rex
Bookstore, Inc.
Pooke , G., & Newall, D. (2008). Art History The Basics. New York: Routledge.
Sanchez, C. A., Abad, P. F., Jao, L. V., & Sanchez, R. A. (2012). Introduction to the
Humanities. Manila: Rex Book Store, Inc. .
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