Assumptions of Art

ASSUMPTIONS OF ART
ART IS UNIVERSAL
Literature has provided key works of art. Among the most popular ones
being taught are the Greek two epics, the Iliad and the Odyssey. The
Sanskrit pieces of Mahabharata and Ramayana also staples in this field.
These works, purportedly written before the beginning of recorded
history. Art has always been timeless and universal, spanning
generations and continents through and through.
In every country and in every generation, there is always art.
Oftentimes, people feel that what is considered artistic are only those
which have been made long time ago. This is a misconception. Age is
not a factor in determining art.
“art is not good because it is old, but old because it is good” – Dudley
In the Philippines, the works of Jose Rizal and Francisco Balagtas are
not being read because they are old. They are liked and adored because
they meet our needs and desires.
e.g.
Florante and Laura
Ibong adarna
Psalms
Kundiman
The first assumption then about the humanities is that art has been
crafted by all people regardless of origin, time, place, and that is stayed
on because it is liked and enjoyed by people continuously. A great piece
of work will never be obsolete.
Art will always be present because human beings will always express
themselves and delight in these expressions. Men will continue to use art
while art persists and never gets depleted.
ART IS NOT NATURE
In the Philippines, it is not entirely to hear some

consumers of local movies remark that these
movies produced locally are unrealistic. These
critical minds argue that a good movie must reflect
reality as closely as possible. Is that so?
e.g. Paul Cezanne – Well and Grinding Wheel in the
Forest of the Chateau Noir.
One important characteristic of art is that it is not nature. Art is man’s
expression of his reception of nature. Art is man’s way of interpreting
nature. Art is not nature. Art is made by man, whereas nature is a given
around us. It is this juncture that they can be considered opposites. What
we find in nature should not be expected to be present in art too. Movies
are not meant to be direct representation of reality. They may be a
representation or even distortion of nature.
This distinction assumes that all of us see nature, perceive its elements
in myriad, different, yet valid ways. E.g. Five blind men.
Art is like each of these men’s view of the elephant. It is based on an
individual’s subjective experience of nature. Artist are not expected to
duplicate nature.
Once this point has been made, a student of humanities can then ask
further questions such as.
ART INVOLVES EXPERIENCE
Getting this far without a satisfactory definition of art can be quite weird
for some. For most people, art does not require a full definition. Art is
just experience. By experience, we mean the “actual doing of
something”. When one say that he has an experience of something, he
often means that he knows that something is about. (e.g. loving,
cooking)
Knowing a thing is different form hearing from others what the said
thing is. (e.g. DJ, Choreography)
Art is always an experience. (e.g. painter, sculptor)
A work of art then cannot be abstracted from actual doing. In order to
know what an artwork is, we have to sense it, see or hear it. (e.g. Hero’s
monument, Beyonce, and Gertrude Stein)
One fully gets acquainted with art if one immerses into it.
In matters of art, the subject perception is of primacy. One can read
hundreds of reviews about a particular movie, but at the end of the day,
until he sees the movie himself, he will be in no position to actually talk
about the movie. He does not know the movie until he experiences it. An
important aspect of experiencing art is its being highly personal,
individual, and subjective. Perception of art is always a value judgment.
It depends on who the perceiver is, his tastes, his biases, and what he has
inside him. One cannot argue with another person’s evaluation of art
because one’s experience can never be known by another.
Finally, one should also underscore that every experience what art is
accompanied by some emotion. One either likes dislikes, agrees or
disagrees that a work of art is beautiful. A stage play or motion picture is
particularly one of those art forms that evoke strong emotion from its
audience. With experience comes emotions and feelings, after all.
Feelings and emotions are concrete proofs that the artwork has been
experience.
Choose one artwork under each given category that you are familiar with. This can
be the last artwork that you have come across with or the one that made the most
impact to you. Criticize each using the guide questions provided.
Categories:
1. Movie
2. Music
3. An architectural structure
a. What is it about? What is it for?
b. What is it made of?
c. What is its style?
d. How good is it?

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ASSUMPTIONS OF ART

In the Philippines, it is not entirely to hear some

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