Unit 2: Functions of Art Flashcards
- most difficult to explain
- many types and are highly subjective
- are not likely to be the same from person to person
- artist may create a piece out of a need for self- expression or gratification and might want to communicate a thought or point to the viewer
- a piece might be meant to entertain, provoke, thought, or even have no effect at all
- vague for a reason
- knowing the background and behaviors of an artist helps interpret this functional art
Personal Function
- it influences the collective behavior of people (Feldman, 1967)
- created to be seen and experienced by the public, and when it expresses a collective feeling rather than an individual one
- lead to global understanding and peace.
- artists may produce art to reinforce and enhance the shared sense of identity of those in a family, community, or civilizations (family portraits, uniforms for bands, celebration floats, costumes, etc.)
- Spanish painter Francisco Goya (1746–1828) and English portrait artist William Hogarth (1697–1764) both went this route
- examples: “Comprador” by Pablo Baens Santos (1978)
Social Function
- statues of saints, Jesus, and Mary
- man feels connected with the Higher Being
- destiny of life controlled by the force of a higher power
- may reinforce the shared beliefs of an individual or a human community
- examples:
~“Pieta” commissioned for the French Cardinal Jeane De Vilheres who was a representative in Rome
~ “Myriad of Faces of the Christ” by Arnel David Garcia
Spiritual Function
- appearance of ceramic artifacts generally coincides with the advent of a sedentary lifestyle that revolved around agriculture rather than a nomadic lifestyle
- tattoos to express themselves; their bodies were the canvas, and the tattoos were their art & ethnic groups have been performing this practice for centuries to mark their social status or accomplishments in the community, or as a symbol of beauty among women
Cultural Function Art
- Visayan warriors
- most of their bodies were covered in elaborate tattoos intended to intimidate the rivals
- markings gradually increase in number depending on the number of battles one has had
- Facial tattoos are reserved only for the most valiant and strongest warriors
- celebrated annually during the Pintados Festival (now)
Pintados
- art were and are created to be used
- make man’s life more comfortable
- artist and crafts people constantly invent new ways to create functional art
- honors the functionality of the building and space
- examples:
~ “Bauhaus School” by Walter Gropius in 1919, Germany
~ Jeepneys
Utilitarian Function or Physical Function of Art
Purpose of art is grouped according to:
Non-motivated and Motivated Functions of Art
- those that are integral to being human, transcend the individual, or do not fulfill a specific external purpose
- art, as creativity, is something humans must do by their very nature
- beyond utility
Non-motivated Functions of Art
- not an action or an object
- an aspect of being human beyond utility
Basic human instinct for harmony, balance, rhythm
- may often come unmotivated, as one appreciates art, music or poetry
- “The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and science.” —Albert Einstein
Experience of the Mysterious
- express in non -grammatic ways that are not tied to the formality of spoken or written language
- art provides a range of forms, symbols and ideas with meanings that are malleable.
- example: “Jupiter’s Eagle” by Immanuel Kant
Expression of the Imagination
- art is used in rituals, performances and dances as a decoration or symbol
- anthropologists know that they often serve a purpose at the level of meaning within a particular culture
- not furnished by any one individual, but is often the result of many generations of change, and of a cosmological relationship within the culture
Ritualistic and Symbolic Functions
- refer to intentional, conscious actions on the part of the artists or creator
- bring about political change, to comment on an aspect of society, to convey a specific emotion or mood, to address personal psychology, to illustrate another discipline, to sell a product, or simply as a form of communication
Motivated Functions of Art
- have an intent or goal directed toward another individual, this is a motivated purpose
- the content need not be scientific
- emotions, moods and feelings
- examples: scientific illustration & maps
Communication
- bring about a particular emotion or mood, for the purpose of relaxing
- industries of Motion Pictures and Video Games
Art as Entertainment
- art movements that had this goal— Dadaism, Surrealism, Russian constructivism, and Abstract Expressionism
- example: “Russian Embassy building” in Miramar, Havana, Cuba
The Avante-Garde. Art for Political Change
- enhanced its tolerance towards cultural differences as well as its critical and liberating functions, becoming a more open place for research and experimentation
Art as a “free zone,” removed from the action of the Social Censure
- similar to art for political change, may seek to question aspects of society without any specific political goal
- may be simply to criticize some aspect of society
Art for Social Inquiry, Subversion, and/or Anarchy
- raise awareness for a large variety of causes
- number of art activities were aimed at raising awareness of autism, cancer, human trafficking, ocean conservation, human rights in Darfur, murdered and missing Aboriginal women, elder abuse, and pollution.
- example: “Trashion” by artist Marina DeBris
Art for Social Causes
- used by art therapists, psychotherapists and clinical psychologists as art therapy
- end product is not the principal goal in this case, but rather a process of healing
- resultant piece of artwork may also offer insight into the troubles experienced by the subject and may suggest suitable approaches to be used in more conventional forms of psychiatric therapy
- example: “The Diagnostic Drawing Series”
Art for Psychological and Healing Purposes
- can be used to subtly influence popular conceptions or mood
- art that tries to sell a product also influences mood and emotion
- the purpose of art here is to subtly manipulate the viewer into a particular emotional or psychological response toward a particular idea or object
Art for Propaganda or Commercialism
- ability of the human brain by far exceeds what was needed for survival in the ancestral environment
- One evolutionary psychology explanation for this is that the human brain and associated traits are the human equivalent of the peacock’s tail
Art as a Fitness Indicator
Bahay Kubo
Soul and Space
Functions of Art
- Personal Function
- Social Function
- Spiritual Function
- Cultural Function Art
- Utilitarian Function or Physical Function of Art