What is “Art”?

Art is the process or product of deliberately arranging elements in a way that appeals to the

senses or emotions. It encompasses a diverse range of human activities, creations, and modes

of expression, including music and literature. The meaning of art is explored in a branch of

philosophy known as Aesthetics.

ART lacks a satisfactory definition. It is easier to describe it as the way something is done -- "the use of skill and imagination in the creation of

aesthetic objects, environments, or experiences that can be shared with others" (Britannica

Online) -- rather than what it is.

Art is situated within society and history.

Proper study of art through clear objectives:

To foster the independent and critical faculties

Heightening of the capacity to discern strategies

To distinguish and evaluate aesthetic and cultural position in the light of out needs and

interests

To privilege the Filipino point of view in art and cultural studies

Contributing to the development of national culture and art

To explore international perspective in culture and arts

To foreground discourses, cultural and artistic expressions and forms, which have been marginalized by the dominant canon and

discourses

Elements of Art

SpaceValueShape

LineForm

TextureColor

Form

3-dimensional & encloses a volume

a. real/ actual form-sculpture

-installation-architecture

b. illusionary-2-dimensional(perspective)

Line-continuous mark made on the surface by a

moving point-does not actually exist in nature, but only a

difference in color

a. actual line-form of a line drawn

-straight or curved

b. contour line-outline-defines the shape of the object

-internal line-defines the form of the object

Shape

-an enclosed space defined-2-dimensional representation

a. geometricb. organic

c. free-form

Color

a. Hue-name of the color

b. Intensity-strength or purity of color

c. Value-brightness or darkness of color

Texture

-surface quality of “feel” of an object-smoothness or roughness

a. Actual texture-can be felt

b. Simulated/ Implied texture-cannot be actually felt

Space

-distance or area between, around, above or within things

a. 2-dimensional space-flat spaces

-height and width-illusion of depth

b. 3-dimensional space-actual space

--height, width and depth

a. Positive Space-space taken by the object

(surface)

b. Negative Space-distance between object

(white space)

Value

-describes the darkness and lightness of color-express volume

"Natural objects which become works of art in the classificatory sense are artifactualized without the use of tools – artifactuality is conferred on the object rather than worked on it. This means that

natural objects which become works of art acquire their artifactuality at the same time that

the status of candidate for appreciation is conferred on them".

"the only sense in which there is a difference between the appreciation of art and the

appreciation of nonart is that the appreciations have different objects. The institutional structure in which the art object is embedded, not different

kinds of appreciation, makes the difference between the appreciation of art and the

appreciation of nonart".

"Someone who puts an object forward for appreciation must be prepared to answer the question 'Why?' – to tell us why it should be

regarded as being worthy of this treatment; and the answer must be in terms of reasons that we

can at least recognize as such".