DISCUSSION 3 Non-Representational Art -Non-objective Art / Non-figurative Art

Topics: -compositions which do not rely on

UNIT 2: SUBJECT AND CONTENT representation.
• THE SUBJECT OF AN ARTWORK -personal expression of an artist's subjective
• THE SOURCES OF SUBJECT experience.
• WAYS OF PRESENTING THE SUBJECT

Unit 2
SUBJECT AND CONTENT
Unit 2 shall focus on helping students to answer questions by
investigating the subject of works of art. This will provide a guide for
gathering clues embedded in works of art, as well as an introduction to
searching for the underlying meaning and messages that are present in
many works of art. Students will work, step by step, through the layers of
meaning, delving more deeply into these layers with each work as they *Abstract – aims to take subjects from reality but present them in way that
progress through the different lessons presented. is different from the way they are viewed in our reality
(https://thevirtualinstructor.com/types-of-art.html)

Lesson 1: THE SUBJECT OF AN ARTWORK

SUBJECT - in arts refers to the main idea that is represented in the artwork
- is basically the essence of the piece.

What is actually depicted in this artwork?

What is the artist trying to express to the world...
What is his or her message?
And how are they conveying that message?
Lesson 2: THE SOURCES OF SUBJECT
Types of artworks: 1. Nature
Representational Art - Objective Art / Figurative Art - equivalent to the natural world, physical universe, material
- art pieces which use a specific subject world or material universe
- generally refers to a painting or sculpture that is clearly - refers to the phenomena of the physical world, and also to life in
recognizable for what it claims to be. general
- considered the most commonly used source of art

Planting Rice – Fernando Amorsolo The Crying Boy – Giovanni Bragolin

(WordPress.com) (google.com)
2. People
- considered the most interesting subject of an artwork which may
be real or imagined
- as subjects may be presented as individuals or groups and may
perform tasks as how they do in their everyday life
3. History
- depiction of factual events that occurred in the past whose
purpose is either to remember important events of long ago or
to teach the learners about the lessons of the past
4. Legend
- present to viewers of the art something tangible even when
unverified.
- Art brings life to these stories.
5. Religion
- used as inspiration by artists (through the Bible, Quran and Torah)
in conveying their ideas and beliefs through their art works
6. Mythology
- come from the stories of gods and goddesses of Ancient Greece,
Rome, Norse and Egyptians
7. Dreams and Fantasy
– expresses the wonders of the unconscious
8. Technology
– showcases the modernity of the present
- wondrous use of machines, the towering skyscrapers, state of the
art robotics technology, top of the line transportation
machineries as cars, ships and motorcycles
The
https
Lesson 3: WAYS OF PRESENTING THE SUBJECT
After the artist has decided on the source of the subject of his
artwork, he is now ready to identify the method of how he wants his art
work to be presented to his viewers. The following are some of the
methods or ways on how an artist presents his subject to his audience.
 1. Naturalism 6. Dadaism a. Distortion
2. Realism 7. Futurism - alteration of the original shape
3. Abstraction 8. Surrealism (or other characteristic) of something
4. Symbolism 9. Expressionism - any change made by an artist to the
5. Fauvism size, shape or visual character of a
form to express an idea, convey a
feeling or enhance visual impact
1. NATURALISM Art piece of Henrietta Harris
source: https://usaartnews.com/
- in art, refers to the depiction of realistic
objects in a natural setting
- began in the early Renaissance, and
b. Elongation
developed
- is when the art subject is lengthened,
- itself further throughout the Renaissance
protracted or extended
Hay Makingby Jules Bastien-Lepage - a type of art that pays attention to very
source:https://www.theartstory.org/ accurate and precise details, and portrays
things as they are
- always depict pieces showing the idealized High Aspirations by Ernie Barnes

human form.
c. Mangling
2. REALISM
- Artists show the subject as cut,
-in art, generally the attempt to represent
lacerated, mutilated or hacked
subject matter truthfully, without
with repeated blows.
artificiality and avoiding speculative
fiction and supernatural elements.
- realist or naturalist works of art may, as The Weeping Woman by Pablo Picasso
well or instead of illusionist realism, be Source: tate.org.uk
"realist" in their subject matter, and
emphasize the mundane, ugly or sordid d. Cubism
- most popular way of presenting art - presentation of abstract figures
subjects. through the use of a cone,
cylinder, sphere, triangle, square,
3. ABSTRACTION cube and circle in place of real
-finds its roots in ‘intuition’ (of the artist) and ‘freedom’ (for the pictorial elements
artist as well as for the viewer) High Aspirations by Ernie Barnes
-art movement emerged in the nineteenth century as a reaction to
academic painting or realism.
-think of it as a visual opposite of realistic art
-method of presenting the subject where the artist moves away
from reality.
4. SYMBOLISM 7. FUTURISM
- use of a visible sign of an idea -developed in Italy about the same
to convey to the viewers, readers time as cubism appeared in France
or audiences the message of his -Futurist painters wanted their works
work. to capture the mechanical energy of
- mystery is advocated by an art modern life.
work making it more interesting
to the viewers The Futuristic Art of NASA
Mona Lisa by Da Vinci source: artsy.net
source: amazon.com 8. SURREALISM
5. FAUVISM - mirrors the evils of the present society
- name applied to the work - means super realism, influenced by
produced by a group of artists Freudian psychology which emphasizes
(which included Henri Matisse the activities of the subconscious state
and André Derain) from around of the mind.
1905 to 1910, which is characterised - art movement began in Paris in 1924
by strong colours and fierce brushwork. by the French poet Andre Breton
Henri Matisse Floral Painting
Harmony in Red Source: WooArts - surrealist’s aim is to reveal the deep
and ugly part of human nature.
* Le les fauves (‘the wild beasts’) was coined by the critic Louis Vauxcelles Source: Pinterest
when he saw the work of Henri Matisse and André Derain in an exhibition,
the salon d’automne in Paris, in 1905. 9. EXPRESSIONISM
- art works describing pathos, morbidity,
chaos or even defeat and was introduced
6. DADAISM in Germany from 1900 – 1910
- a protest movement in the art that is - Expressionists believe that man needs
playful and experimental. “Dada” means spiritual rebirth for him to correct defects
a “hobby horse”. Dadaism is most often that ruin the society.
The Night (Die Nacht) by Max
nonsensical Beckmann Source: WikiArt
- considered a revolt against tradition
because it does not follow the
principles in art and shows the
wickedness of society in its presentation
- aim of this method is to shock and provoke its
viewers.
Fountain by Duchamp
source: magazine.artland.com

Marcel Duchamp is the famous painter using this method