FUNCTIONS OF ART

The physical functions of art are most easily dealt with. Works of art that are created to perform some service have physical functions.

If you see a Fijian war club you may assume that, however wonderful the craftsmanship may be, it was created to perform the physical function of smashing skulls.

A Japanese raku bowl is art that performs a physical function in the tea ceremony. Conversely, a fur-covered teacup from the Dada movement has no physical function.

Architecture, any of the crafts and industrial design are all types of art that have physical functions.

Art has social functions when it addresses aspects of (collective) life, as opposed to one person's point of view or experience.

For example, public art in 1930s Germany had an overwhelming symbolic theme. Did this art exert influence on the German population? Decidedly so. As did political and patriotic posters in Allied countries during the same time.

Political art (skewed to whatever message) always carries a social function. The fur-covered Dada teacup, useless for holding tea, carried a social function in that it protested World War I (and nearly everything else in life).

Art that depicts social conditions performs social functions. The Realists figured this out early in the 19th century. Dorothea Lange (and, indeed, many other photographers) often photographed people in conditions we'd rather not think about.

Additionally, satire performs social functions. Francisco Goya and William Hogarth both went this route, with varying degrees of success at enacting social change.

Sometimes having specific pieces of art in a community can perform the social function of elevating that community's status. A Calder stabile, for example, can be a community treasure and point of pride.

The personal functions of art are the most difficult to explain in any great detail. There are many of them, and they vary from person to person.

An artist may create out of a need for self-expression, or gratification. S/he might have wanted to communicate a thought or point to the viewer. Perhaps the artist was trying to provide an aesthetic experience, both for self and viewers. A piece might have been meant to "merely" entertain others. Sometimes a piece isn't meant to have any meaning at all.

On a slightly more lofty plane, art may serve the personal functions of control. Art has been used to attempt to exert magical control over time, or the seasons or even the acquisition of food. Art is used to bring order to a messy and disorderly world. Conversely, art can be used to create chaos when an artist feels life is too staid and ordinary. Art can also be therapeutic - for both the artist and the viewer.

The Subject of Art

The Subject of Art

The subject of art refers to any person, object, scene or event described or represented in a work of art.

(some arts have subject, others do not)

Representational art/ objective art (arts that have subject)

Non-representational art/non objective arts (appeal directly to senses as in music)
represenational to non-representational, the shift in attention

In his essay "Art as Technique" Victor Shklovsky argues that what defines literature is its ability to make the familiar seem strange (DEFAMILIARIZATION). Literature disrupts our normal habits of perception. This passage is my favorite critical passages of all time:

"And so life is reckoned as nothing. Habitualization devours works, clothes, furniture, one's wife, and the fear of war. 'If the whole complex lives of many people go on unconsciously, then such lives are as if they had never been.' [Tolstoy] And art exists that one may recover the sensation of life; it exists to make one feel things, to make the stone STONY. The purpose of art is to impart the sensation of things as they are perceived and not as they are known. The technique of art is to make objects "unfamiliar," to make forms difficult, to increase the difficulty and length of perception because the process of perception is an aesthetic end in itself and must be prolonged."

REALISM
ABSTRACTION
DISTORTION
SURREALISM

WAYS OF REPRESENTING A SUBJECT

REALISM
When things are depicted in the way they would normally appear in nature, representation is said to be realistic, almost photographic.

ABSTRACTION
Process of simplifying and /or reorganizingobjects and elements according to the demands of artistic expression.

The artist selects and renders the objects with shapes, colors, and positions altered.

Enough likeness/ or in some case original objects are reduced to simple geometric shapes and can rarely be identified unless named.

Braque-Mandola

DISTORTION
Twisting, stretching, deforming the natural shape of objects
Proportions differ noticeably
Distortion is done to dramatize the shape of a figure or create an emotional effect


SUREREALISM
REALISM + DISTORTION (1 type only)
Dreamlike scenes to express the subconcious.
Dreamlike because of the irrational arrangement of objects (recognizable objects combined with utterly fantastic and unnatural relationships.

KINDS OF SUBJECTS
1. Landscapes, seascapes, cityscapes
2. Still life- inanimate objects arranged in an indoor setting
3. Animals
Animals used as symbols in conventional religious arts
4.Portraits

-human face

portraits need not be photographic likeness

A great portrait is a product of selective process, the artist highlighting certain features and de-emphasizing others. It does not have to beautiful but it has to be truthful.
But some painters, wanting to please their patrons decrease the lines of experience on the faces of their subject.

Applicable to busts, sculptures of heroes and leaders. Quite common among the Romans.
Etched in coins, medals

Portraits may also mark milestones such as Baptism, Weddings, Graduations

Self portraits

Chaucer’s Prologue in the Canterbury Tales, the knight and his son, the demure Prioress, the Monk and the Wife of Bath

6. Figures

human body - form - structure

Nudes or clothed
The grace and ideal proportion, the symbol of moral and spiritual perfection to the Greeks.

7. Everyday life
7. History and Legend
8. Religion and Mythology
9. Dreams and fantasies

Course Syllabus Hum ArtAppreciation

Humanities: Art Appreciation
Course Syllabus for Academic Year 2007-2008
Instructor: Timmy Sanchez

Course Description
This course is an introduction to the nature of art and its basic types or divisions. It gives a survey of the history of the art forms, emphasizing the characteristics features of major art movements or periods from the ancient to the modern times. It focuses on the masterpieces produced during each movement or period.

Through lectures, readings, gallery visits and hands-on activities, students will develop an understanding of the elements of art, a basic vocabulary for describing visual art, a general understanding of the role art has played throughout the history, and contemporary trends.

Course Objective
At the end of the semester and upon successful completion of the course, the students are expected to:

-identify the different genres in the visual and performing arts: architecture, music, sculpture, painting, dance, opera, theater, cinema, etc.

-be familiar with the social and religious context, features, the artists, and the masterpieces of the major art movements.

-master the differentiating elements among the art movements and styles.

-appreciate the value of a comprehensive exposure to artistic production, significant masterpieces, and various art movements

Specific Objectives

*Identify what art is and its relevance to everyday life.
*Discuss the role and functions of art.
*Understand how the creative process, elements of art, principles of design and technical ability communicates the intention of the artist.
*Identify the art and culture that inspired art forms.
*Discuss the various media, format and techniques used in creating art.
*Familiarize with the basic elements and organization of art.
*Recognize how the arts can teach us about ourselves, other individuals and the society in which it is created.
*Recognize the relationships between patrons and artists, and their influences to each other.
*Analyze how art relate to social, political and environmental contexts.
*Familiarize with different art movements and styles.

Consultation Hours
Office: ITHM Faculty Room E-mail: timi_sanchez@yahoo.com
Monday-Thursday, 1-2 pm

Grading
Students may earn a maximum of 435 points, and grades are based on the percentage of those points a student earns. The percentage is traditional. Grades are broken down as follows:

Quizzes
135 pts., or 40% of your grade.
Midterm Examination
100 pts., or 40% of your grade.
Final Examination
100 pts., or 40% of your grade.
Attendance/ Class Participation
100 pts., or 20% of your grade.

(Keep track of the points you have earned for the assignments listed above and convert them into a percentage to determine your grade. For more information on calculating your grade in class, see the information on Quizzes and Grade Calculation below.)

Quizzes and Grade Calculation
Quizzes will usually be worth ten points. I will not announce quizzes in advance; students should expect one at the beginning of every class period. Students will be given ample time to complete quizzes if they arrived to class on time, but if a student is late for class he/she will have less time to complete the quiz. In a 10-minute quiz, for instance, if a student arrives 8 minutes late, he/she will only have 2 minutes to complete the quiz. If the student arrives after the quiz is over or if the student is absent, he/she will not be allowed to make up the quiz. At the end of the semester I may have one make-up/replacement quiz to allow the student to improve his/her quiz score or make-up a quiz he/she has missed.

Prepare for quizzes by using the (1) course pack reader, (2)lectures in our official website (www.humartapp.blogspot.com) and (3) by reading taken lecture notes.

Lecture Notes
Taking notes from lecture is a required part of class and an essential habit of serious students. On any given class period I may ask the student to show me his/her notes for that class period. May merit or demerit points in class participation.

Attendance and Class Participation Rules and Point Deductions
Attendance is mandatory; absences should be rare; tardiness and leaving early will be penalized; disrupting class is unacceptable. Each student will begin the term with 100 points for attendance and participation; these are the points to lose for violating class rules:-15 points per absence-10 points for arriving late or leaving early-10 points for failing to bring your course pack and required materials-5 points for failing to take lecture notes or completing homework-10 points for disrupting class (examples are cell phones going off in class, having private conversations while class is in session, leaving your seat without permission in the middle of lecture, discussion, or other class activities, etc.)-100 points for cheating or plagiarizing, + failure for the assignment (notice that this means that if you cheat, you will most certainly fail the course. I reserve the right to refer you to the Prefect of Discipline as well.)If a student has accumulated more than -100 points, he/she will earn 0 points for this portion of the grade and the remaining points will be deducted from his/her overall grade. I expect active rather than passive learning. All students must be prepared for class. All students in this course must be prepared to ask and answer questions and participate in class discussion.


Make-up
If a student misses a class, it is important that he/she gets all notes and assignments from a classmate. Images shown in class can be found in many library books and online.

Writing and Workbook Assignment

Students enrolled in this course will write one paper during the term. I will provide separate assignment sheet for the writing assignment. The paper is due at the beginning of the class period on the date listed on the syllabus. Late paper will not be accepted. Writing assignments will be worth 50 points. Grade for the paper will be credited in the student’s quizzes.

Students in the course will also be required to turn in a certain workbook assignments as part of requirement. These assignments will be given in class during the appropriate lectures.


Exams
All exams may consist of identification, true-false, and short answer and essay sections. Exams may consist of open and closed book portions. My students will need an envelope to compile all quizzes and exams.

Academic Dishonesty
Student Responsibility: Students are expected to be above reproach in all scholastic activities. Students who engage in scholastic dishonesty are subject to disciplinary penalties, including the possibility of failure in the course and dismissal from the university. Scholastic dishonesty includes but is not limited to cheating, plagiarism, collusion, the submission for credit of any work or materials that are attributable in whole or in part to another person, taking an examination for another person, any act designed to give unfair advantage to a student or the attempt to commit such acts. Since scholastic dishonesty harms the individual, all students, and the integrity of the university, policies on scholastic dishonesty will be strictly enforced. (Refer to the Student Handbook for more information.)

Emergency Academic Continuity Program
Academic courses, partially, will hopefully be made available on the ELEAP Blackboard Academic Suite management system before PRELIMS (meanwhile, please refer to the subject’s official website at www.humartapp.blogspot.com This will allow me and my students to continue my teaching and learning via UST E-Learning Access Program (E-LeAP), UST BLACKBOARD Academic Suite management system, in case the university shuts down as a result of a typhoon or any other natural disaster. If the university is forced to shut down, I will notify my students using Blackboard (and/or via the official website) on how to proceed with the course. To receive credit for a course, it is the student's responsibility to complete all the requirements for that course. Failure to access course materials once reasonably possible can result in a reduction of the student’s overall grade in the class. To facilitate the completion of classes, most or all of the communication between students and the institution, the instructor, and fellow classmates will take place using the features in the E-LeAP Blackboard and/or though the course’s website.

In the event of a disaster or other disruptions of normal operations that would result to the suspension of classes, all students must make every effort to access an internet-enabled computer as often as possible to continue the learning process.


Contingency: Extra Credit

To make up for absences, failing quizzes and examinations, or poor grades in the writing activities, students may earn extra credit by participating in any Humanities-related cultural and literary activities at UST and the community; or by submitting additional written work (art exhibit reviews; concert reviews, etc.) about Literary-related topics. This may ONLY be resorted to after consultation with the instructor.

From time to time, I shall announce to class some related cultural events which students may participate in and subsequently earn extra credit from.